The Federal Government has declared a state of emergency on the Suleja-Minna Road due to its deteriorating condition and the long-standing failures of the original contractor, Salini Nigeria Limited.
This announcement was made on Saturday during an inspection led by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who described the road—an important connection between Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory—as being “in a very terrible condition.”
“What should be a one-and-a-half-hour journey now takes over seven hours,” the minister noted. The project, initially awarded to Salini Nigeria Limited, has faced numerous setbacks, with sections either abandoned or completed to substandard quality.
Despite repeated attempts over the past 18 months to urge Salini to resume and repair the work, the company has not taken action. Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago had previously raised concerns about the road’s condition, leading to direct intervention from President Bola Tinubu. “The President issued a clear directive: urgent action must be taken,” Mr. Umahi stated. “We are treating this as an emergency.”
Mr. Umahi declared Sections One and Two of the road as emergency projects and emphasized that the Ministry of Works will expedite procurement processes. “If a contractor delays even a single day after the award for mobilization, I will cancel the contract,” he warned.
