The Federal Government has blamed the concessionaire of the Benin-Asaba Expressway for the deteriorating condition of the highway and is considering a review of the concession agreement.

Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, disclosed this during an on-the-spot assessment of the highway in Benin, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday.

Umahi said the government would invoke the overriding public interest provision to intervene, engage competent contractors to restore the highway and address the hardship faced by motorists and other road users.

What they are saying

Umahi expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the highway by the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC), accusing it of lacking the technical competence required to execute the project.

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He criticised the removal of existing asphalt without first constructing drainage infrastructure, saying the Federal Government had cautioned the concessionaire against the action.

  • “The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, says the Federal Government is considering a review of the concession agreement for the Benin-Asaba Expressway following widespread complaints over deteriorating condition of the highway,” the NAN report read in part.
  • “You don’t know what you are doing. You have no technical staff or competence. The President has directed us to do whatever is possible to fix this road,” Umahi was quoted as telling the concessionaire.

Umahi described the removal of asphalt as destruction of public property and directed ministry controllers to arrest any contractor or concessionaire that removes asphalt from existing roads without approval. He also apologised to Nigerians over the hardship caused by the highway’s condition.

FG weighs concession review

Umahi said the government would explore the overriding public interest provision to intervene in the project, stressing that Nigerians should not continue to suffer because of deficiencies in the concession arrangement.

  • Competent contractors would be engaged to restore the highway.
  • CCETC would intervene in some bad sections around Asaba.

BAECC CEO, Samuel Daramola, attributed the slow pace of work partly to heavy rainfall and traffic.

Project consultant representative, Toyin Akinlapa, said BAECC had been advised to construct drainage before removing the existing asphalt but ignored the advice.

  • The House of Representatives Committee on Works Chairman, Akin Alabi, also urged President Bola Tinubu to review the concession agreement and similar arrangements.

The highway has faced widespread complaints, with motorists reportedly trapped for several days due to multiple failed sections.

Government plans other road reconstruction

Umahi also disclosed that the Federal Government was considering the redesign of roads from Kogi to Warri and other major roads around Edo State for reconstruction with concrete pavement.

He said the affected roads required total reconstruction rather than continued palliative measures.

  • “I am disappointed. The President has directed me to redesign all roads from Kogi to Warri and around Edo State. They are to be done with concrete pavement,” he said.

Umahi urged governors to support the Federal Government in addressing critical road infrastructure in their states.

Get up to speed

The Benin-Asaba highway was concessioned to BAECC in 2025 for conversion into a 10-lane highway, according to NAN.

The current condition of the highway has now prompted the Federal Government to consider intervention and a review of the concession.

What you should know

The Federal Government is also undertaking reconstruction and rehabilitation of other ageing federal road infrastructure across the country.

The Federal Executive Council had approved a review of PPP and Engineering, Procurement, Construction plus Financing options for a new Carter Bridge and Third Mainland Bridge

The proposed cost was N359 billion for a new Carter Bridge and N3.6 trillion for a new Third Mainland Bridge, while rehabilitation was estimated at N387 billion and N3.8 trillion respectively.