Federal Controller Of Works Assures Road Users Urgent Repair Benin-Asaba Highway

Federal Controller Of Works Assures Road Users Urgent Repair Benin-Asaba Highway

...As FG  Appeals To Motorists, Residents, Others Road users To Remain Calm

Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin 

The Federal Ministry of Works has assured Nigerians that urgent steps are being taken to address the worsening condition of the Benin-Asaba Highway.

It asserted that due to the bad situation of the road the Ministry is exploring an alternative arrangement to ensure the strategic 125-kilometres  corridor is restored and the hardship being experienced by motorists is brought to an end.

The Federal Controller of Works, Edo State Field Headquarters, Engr. Babatunde Tajudeen gave the assurance in a press briefing in Benin City on Monday, September 7, 2026, stressed that the Minister of Works, Engr. (Sen.) David Umahi, is determined to ensure that the road receives urgent attention.

The Benin-Asaba Highway, which commenced from Ring Road Roundabout in Benin City and terminates at Summit Junction in Asaba, Delta State, is a major Federal Highway linking the South-South, South-East and parts of the South-West regions of Nigeria. 

The corridor facilitates passenger and freight movement, commercial activities and regional connectivity, making its condition critical to the socio-economic activities of millions of Nigerians.

According to Engr.  Babatunde Tajudeen  the project is one of the pilot corridors under Phase I of the Federal Government's Highway Development and Management Initiative, HDMI, implemented through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement. 

The initiative was introduced to leverage private-sector investment and technical expertise for the sustainable development, operation and management of Federal Highways.

Following a competitive procurement process, the Federal Executive Council approved the concession of the Benin-Asaba Highway on January 16, 2023, under a Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement for a 25-year concession period, including a three-year construction period.

The Federal Ministry of Works subsequently executed the Concession Agreement with the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited, BAECC, on May 23, 2023. Under the agreement, the concessionaire is expected to invest its resources in reconstructing and upgrading the existing highway and recover its investment over the concession period.

However, Engr.Tajudeen said the project has encountered serious challenges, particularly in recent months, resulting in severe hardship for motorists and residents along the corridor.

He recalled that the situation reached a critical point on August 16, 2026, when residents around the project area protested over the worsening condition of the road and the perceived slow pace of work.

The Federal Controller also recalled the August 25, 2026 visit of the Minister of Works, Engr. Sen. David Umahi, accompanied by the Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, to the project site for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and to engage motorists and other stakeholders affected by the deteriorating road condition.

During the visit, the Minister expressed serious concerns over the performance of the concessionaire, statedpp that BAECC had grossly defaulted on several clauses of the Concession Agreement and that a dispute had consequently arisen in the execution of the project.

Among the issues identified by the Minister were the complete scarification of portions of the existing stable asphaltic surface, engagement of allegedly unqualified and professionally incompetent personnel, lack of capacity to deliver the project, extremely slow pace of work, substandard quality of work and poor traffic management.

The Ministry also linked the poor traffic management on the project corridor to recurring heavy traffic gridlocks, with serious incidents recorded in December 2025 and again from August 19, 2026.

Engr. Tajudeen explained that the removal of the existing asphalt without adequate and timely reconstruction exposed the underlying road foundation to prolonged rainfall, resulting in further deterioration of some sections.

He said the Minister had consequently observed that some of the damaged sections could no longer be adequately addressed through conventional asphalt overlay and may require Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement, CRCP, to restore the structural integrity of the affected portions.

On the status of the concession agreement with BAECC, the Federal Controller clarified that the contract has not simply been terminated, stressing that government contracts are governed by clearly defined legal and contractual provisions.

He said the Minister had proposed a mutual termination of the concession arrangement, subject to the necessary legal and contractual processes, in view of the challenges surrounding the execution of the project.

According to him, the Minister had also called for urgent measures to mitigate the suffering of motorists, including allowing another Federal Ministry of Works contractor with the required professional competence and experience to intervene on the project.

The Minister had further requested that BAECC reinstate the scarified asphalt sections to restore the stability of the road to the condition it was in before the concessionaire commenced work approximately 16 months ago.

Engr. Tajudeen expressed concern that two weeks after the Minister's engagement with the concessionaire and other stakeholders, no meaningful intervention had been recorded on the affected sections.

He said the Federal Ministry of Works was, therefore, intensifying efforts to find an alternative solution within the legitimate powers of the Ministry and ensure that work resumes on the road as quickly as possible.

The Federal Controller appealed to motorists and residents who use the corridor to exercise a little more patience, assuring them that the Federal Government understands the strategic importance of the Benin-Asaba Highway and the urgent need to restore it.

Tajudeen's called on Nigerians to acknowledge the efforts of the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in accelerating infrastructure development across the country, noting that federal road projects are ongoing in several states.

Engr. T. A. Babatunde  also commended the Minister of Works for his continued physical monitoring of federal road projects nationwide, noting that the Minister has personally visited Edo State several times within the past six months to assess ongoing projects and engage stakeholders.

He stressed that the Benin-Asaba Highway would not be allowed to remain in its present condition, assuring Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Works is committed to securing a lasting solution and restoring the road to a safe and motorable condition.

The Federal Government therefore appeals to motorists, residents, transport operators and other road users to remain calm and patient as the necessary processes are being undertaken to bring in a credible and technically capable intervention that will restore normalcy to the strategic corridor.