The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has moved to terminate the concession agreement for the Benin-Asaba Expressway, accusing the concessionaire of failing to deliver the project to the required standard.
Umahi made the position known on Wednesday in Benin during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Edo State Government House, where he also directed the concessionaire to clear obstructions along the highway and restore normal traffic flow.
The minister said the Federal Government was no longer satisfied with the company’s performance and asked it to formally communicate its consent to the Ministry of Works to facilitate the termination process.
“We are therefore pleading with you to give us written approval to proceed in this manner,” Umahi said, adding that the concessionaire should be removed from the project site within the government’s legal rights.
According to him, the company had “added no value” to the project and lacked the capacity to properly rehabilitate the affected sections of the road.
Umahi directed the ministry to engage the project’s independent engineer to assess and document all work executed so far. He said any damage caused by removing asphalt contrary to contractual specifications would not be recognised as completed work.
“When you remove asphalt contrary to the contract and contrary to the specifications, that is negative work,” he said, stressing that the cost of repairing such damage must also be determined.
The minister said the immediate priority was to ease the hardship being experienced by motorists and other road users. He directed that blocked portions of the highway be cleared, damaged asphalt restored and water flowing onto the carriageway redirected.
He also ordered the concessionaire to produce a technical design for effective stormwater drainage to prevent further deterioration of the road.
Umahi warned that continued failure to address the situation could worsen public frustration and create security concerns around the highway.
Responding, the Head of Legal and Compliance of Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company (BAECC), Peterson Fabian, appealed for more time for all stakeholders to explore alternative solutions.
Fabian said the issues raised at the meeting were not yet conclusive and expressed confidence that further engagement could produce a mutually acceptable way forward.
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, however, expressed disappointment over the condition of the road, saying its present state was unacceptable after 16 months.
Okpebholo said the poor condition of the highway had subjected motorists, particularly Edo residents, to unnecessary hardship and described the resources already committed to the project as wasted if the road remained unfinished.
“If they are competent, by now we should have seen some part of this road completed,” the governor said.
He urged Umahi to take decisive action to resolve the situation, stressing that the Benin-Asaba road was a major route whose condition affected people beyond Edo State.
Senator Allwell Onyesoh, a member of the Senate Committee on Works, also criticised the concession arrangement, saying the condition of the road showed that not every concessionaire had the capacity to execute major infrastructure projects.
He described the experience as a lesson for Nigeria in selecting private companies to undertake critical road projects.
- Why I’m returning to Senate after 15 years — Obasanjo - August 26, 2026
- Umahi moves to remove Benin-Asaba road concessionaire over poor performance - August 26, 2026
- Presidency accuses Atiku of ‘playing politics’ with petrol subsidy - August 26, 2026
