The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says President Bola Tinubu’s administration is revolutionising Nigeria’s road construction standards by replacing asphalt with reinforced concrete pavement designed to last between 50 and 100 years.
Speaking during an inspection of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano highway on Tuesday, Umahi said the new model marks a decisive break from over three decades of substandard road construction practices that left successive governments spending billions on constant repairs.
“For the past 30 years, every administration has worked on the same roads over and over again,” he said. “The problem is our construction method. That is why I say President Bola Tinubu is not just constructing roads — he is building roads.”
Umahi explained that reinforced concrete roads offer far greater durability than traditional asphalt surfaces, which typically have a lifespan of about 25 years. “The President is making a statement that the roads built under his administration will last between 50 and 100 years without major repairs,” he declared.
He criticised the methods previously adopted by contractors, particularly the removal and re-laying of laterite materials, which he said weakened the road base. “When you bring in new laterite, the compaction and consolidation cannot match the old, and failures occur quickly. That’s why some roads start failing even before completion,” Umahi noted.
He said the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano project is now being executed using concrete pavement to demonstrate the strength and longevity of the new approach. According to him, Section 1 of the project — stretching from four kilometres into Kogi to Katari — will be completed ahead of schedule by February 2026.
Umahi disclosed that President Tinubu has already released ₦120 billion for the first phase, covering 118 kilometres, with 86 kilometres laid in concrete.
Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, praised Umahi’s initiative, saying the deployment of over 285 pieces of equipment on site reflects the government’s resolve to deliver roads that “stand the test of time and transform national infrastructure.”