FG to give local contractors projects below N20bn —Minister

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Federal Ministry of Works has announced that all contracts valued below N20 billion will be awarded to local contractors, aligning with the Nigeria First policy to promote indigenous participation in infrastructure development.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, stated this during an inspection of the ongoing dualisation project of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction in Rivers State, managed by RCC Nigeria Limited.

During the visit, Umahi emphasised the ministry’s commitment to sustaining critical infrastructure projects, particularly those previously funded under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Tax Credit scheme.

Umahi in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Orji Uchenna Orji, noted that funding for these projects had been paused by NNPCL, but President Bola Tinubu has directed that no such projects should be halted.

It reads, “As part of strategic plans towards sustainability in project funding and execution and in pursuance of the directive of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR on strategic and systematic funding of inherited NNPCL funded projects, the Federal Ministry of Works has adopted funding prioritization framework to ensure the continued execution of road projects hitherto funded by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.

“The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi, CON made this disclosure during his inspection visit to the ongoing dualization of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction, Port Harcourt to Onne Junction in Rivers State handled by Messrs RCC Nig Ltd dated 9th September 2025.

“Speaking during his visit, the Honourable Minister stated that the Federal Ministry of Works had compiled all the NNPCL inherited Tax Credit projects for strategic priority funding, noting that the most critical projects within the national economic corridor would receive precedence in the hierarchy of prioritization.”

Umahi was quoted saying, “We are inspecting projects of federal government in Rivers State, and this particular one is the dualization of Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction by RCC. Recall that one carriageway was completed and commissioned, even though there are a few things we ordered afresh like the retaining wall and hanging drainage.

“For the second carriageway with some bridges and flyovers, work has started on it. Let me say that this is part of the NNPC Tax Credit that has been stopped in terms of funding by NNPC. But graciously, we have compiled all the NNPC inherited Tax Credit projects, and we presented as Ministry of Works to Mr. President. And Mr. President has graciously directed that none of such works should stop now.

“However, as Ministry, we are going to do prioritization of the projects and look at the most critical of these projects within the national economic corridor like this one. And we are going to put it forward for immediate funding because the President directed that none of such projects should stop now.”