…according to Umahi, the project was initially executed under a tax credit arrangement involving MTN Nigeria.
ENUGU, NIGERIA- The iNews Times| Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Thursday commissioned completed portions of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, describing the milestone as a major turning point for transportation and economic activity in Nigeria’s Southeast.
Speaking at the event, Umahi recalled the previously deplorable state of the road, noting that commuters once spent over seven hours travelling between Enugu and Onitsha due to years of neglect and stalled construction.
“This is the most important route in the Southeast,” he said, adding that although the project had been awarded years before 2023, it remained largely abandoned for nearly eight years with minimal progress.
According to Umahi, the project was initially executed under a tax credit arrangement involving MTN Nigeria and construction firm Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), but experienced significant delays until the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who ordered its acceleration and redesign.
Umahi explained that the federal government reviewed the original ₦202 billion contract, retaining portions of it while redesigning a 72-kilometre stretch to be constructed using reinforced concrete pavement. The new section, valued at about ₦150 billion, is being executed with higher durability standards similar to those used on the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway.
In total, the full reconstruction of the Enugu–Onitsha road is now estimated at over ₦350 billion.
Providing updates on progress, the minister disclosed that the first 15 kilometres of the reinforced concrete section is approximately 97 percent completed and has already been opened to traffic to ease movement during the Easter period. He added that another 18-kilometre stretch is currently under construction toward Anambra State, while a separate 39-kilometre segment extending from the Niger Bridge axis is also ongoing.
Umahi further revealed that contractors handling asphalt sections have been directed to adopt the reinforced concrete standard for the remaining 23 kilometres, citing its longer lifespan and reduced maintenance needs.
“Asphalt fails over time, but concrete can last between 50 and 100 years with little or no maintenance,” he said, noting that at least 50 percent of the highway will ultimately be constructed using reinforced concrete.
Beyond the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, the minister highlighted several ongoing federal infrastructure projects across the Southeast, including sections of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, the dualisation of the Enugu–Abakaliki road, and reconstruction works along the Afikpo–Abia–Okigwe corridor.
He also pointed to upgrades on the Aba–Port Harcourt road, as well as access roads and bypasses connected to the Second Niger Bridge, alongside multiple flyovers and interchanges across the region.
Umahi noted that previously collapsed bridges along the Enugu–Onitsha corridor have been reconstructed within months and fitted with solar-powered lighting systems, part of a broader initiative to illuminate major highways nationwide.
He further referenced large-scale national projects such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and a proposed corridor linking Calabar through Ebonyi and Benue to Abuja, which he said would significantly reduce travel time between the Southeast and the Federal Capital Territory.
Addressing concerns about abandoned projects, Umahi insisted that work is ongoing across multiple sites and urged the public to verify information firsthand.
“Projects are not abandoned. You need to visit these sites. Many of them are progressing steadily,” he said.
On rail development, the minister clarified that the proposed eastern rail corridor linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri falls under the Ministry of Transportation, with procurement processes currently underway.
He also called on political leaders and stakeholders in the Southeast to support the current administration, arguing that the region is witnessing increased federal presence and infrastructure investment.
Umahi expressed confidence that the Enugu–Onitsha road project will be fully completed by 2026, assuring that ongoing works will enhance mobility, improve safety, and drive economic growth in the region.
“This project will change the story of transportation in the Southeast,” he said. “What you are seeing today is just the beginning.”
