Economy
Works Minister Umahi Honoured As Infrastructure ICON; Backed By Verified Results, National Impact
Works Minister Umahi Honoured As Infrastructure ICON; Backed By Verified Results, National Impact
Works Minister Umahi honoured as infrastructure ICON; backed by verified results, National impact. The Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, on Wednesday received the 2025 Personality of the Year Award (Infrastructure Transformation Champion) from Aljazirah Nigeria Newspaper.
A recognition which the organisers say followed months of independent scrutiny, investigations, and verification of projects under the Ministry of Works.
Accepting the award with his full team, including the Permanent Secretary and Directors of the Ministry, Umahi said.
“I am here with my team, including the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works and all the Directors. I am deeply touched by this award,”
According to him, what struck him most was not the accolade itself, but the process behind it.
“What makes this recognition particularly important to me is the process behind it. I understand that you undertook a thorough review of the Ministry’s operations. What stands out is that this was done independently, without my knowledge, and I have only just become aware of it. That, to me, is very moving.”
In a country where public trust is often tested, the Minister seized the moment to make a bold claim, that every project under his watch can withstand scrutiny.
“I want to assure you that what drives us in the Ministry is the fear of God. On every project, the Permanent Secretary, the relevant Directors, and the contractors are all involved, and everything is done transparently. If questioned on any detail, including the cost components of a project, we can clearly account for it. There is nothing we do that we cannot defend.”
That confidence, he revealed, is not mere words. The Minister explained that the Ministry formally invited anti-corruption agencies to scrutinise its work, not just on paper, but on the ground.
“Let me tell you something, we wrote to ICPC to go around and investigate all our projects, not on papers, but to go around and investigate the physical accomplishments of what the President is doing. We also wrote to EFCC. Now, ICPC has concluded their own, and we have given them a space here to check our procurement process. They have started their work.”
At the heart of Umahi’s reforms is a strategic shift, the transition from asphalt to concrete roads. A decision he described as a battle but succesful.
“The transition from asphalt to predominantly concrete roads was not without challenges. It was a battle we fought, but we are not afraid of challenges, especially when we are guided by God and committed to serving the people above all else.”
He argued that the long-term benefits far outweigh the initial resistance.
“Most of the roads we are now constructing are concrete, designed to last up to a hundred years with minimal or no maintenance. This is a long-term investment in the country’s future.”
Beyond engineering, the Minister painted a human picture of infrastructure, describing roads not just as projects, but as lifelines.
“We understand the impact of poor road infrastructure. When a road is cut off, it effectively traps people and limits movement, almost like a form of confinement. This is what the President is determined to change, and significant progress has been made.”
“We are not seeking attention or accolades; our focus is on delivering results that improve the lives of Nigerians.”
He also delivered a message to the media, calling for responsibility in an age of rapid information.
“I also encourage those in the media and public space to be responsible. Verify your facts before amplifying any information. Freedom of expression is important, but we are all accountable for what we say and do. Ultimately, what one sows is what one reaps.”
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Al Jazeera Nigeria Newspaper, Bassey Williams, described Umahi as a standout figure in public service after what he called a rigorous and independent selection process.
“After months of rigorous evaluation and peer consultation, the award committee of Al Jazeera Nigeria Newspaper unanimously selected Engineer David Nwaeze Umahi as Personality of the Year 2025 in the category of Infrastructure Transformation Icon.”
Works Minister Umahi
He noted that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ministry of Works has witnessed a surge in execution capacity, strategic planning, and nationwide impact.
Williams went further, addressing past allegations against the Minister, revealing that extensive investigations yielded no evidence of corruption.
“It is on record that Engineer David Umahi, the Honourable Minister of Works, is among the most scrutinised public officials in Nigeria by the Al Jazeera Media Group. In 2024, extensive investigations were conducted into allegations of corrupt practices, deploying high-level investigative resources both within Nigeria and internationally. However, no evidence of wrongdoing was established.
From the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to critical corridors across the North and South, the CEO said the scale and consistency of delivery have repositioned infrastructure as a central pillar of national development.
Francis Nwaze, FIPMD
Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works (Media)
Navy Dismantles Illegal Refining Capacity, Destroys Site With 3 Storage Tanks in Rivers
The Nigerian Navy, through FOB BONNY, has dismantled an illegal refining site discovered in Promise Land Community along Nanabie Creek, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, further denying criminal operators the infrastructure required to process stolen crude oil.
Eereporter.com
The site was discovered on 30 September 2026 following credible intelligence and comprised one large cooking pot and 3 large storage tanks intended for illegal refining activities. On 2 October 2026, the Commanding Officer, FOB BONNY, Captain SMC Umeh, led a team to the location, where the illegal refining site and associated equipment were destroyed in accordance with established regulations.
The intervention represents a further disruption of illegal refining capacity within the Bonny area, particularly by removing infrastructure that could be used to process and store stolen crude oil. It also follows recent operations by FOB BONNY under Operation DELTA SENTINEL that uncovered substantial volumes of suspected stolen crude oil and associated illegal refining infrastructure within its Area of Operations
Oil
The Nigerian Navy has continued to strengthen surveillance and monitoring across the area to prevent the establishment or reactivation of illegal refining sites and deny criminal operators the infrastructure required to sustain crude oil theft and related activities.
ABIODUN FOLORUNSHO
Navy Captain
Director Naval Information
Nigerian Navy
Eereporter.com
NNPC Ltd Offers N66 Fuel Discount Throughout the Nation
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has unveiled a nationwide ₦66 fuel discount promotion for customers using the NNPC Fuel App.
Eereporter.com
In a post obtained from its X handle on Friday, the promotion, which runs from October 1 to 7, is being held across NNPC stations nationwide as part of activities marking the period.
“The ₦66 Discount Promo is ongoing & the excitement is already happening across our stations nationwide!
“All over Nigeria, our customers are getting in on the action & there’s still time for you to benefit!
The promo runs from 1–7 October on the NNPC Fuel App,” the post read.
NNPC said customers across the country have already begun participating in the promotion, with highlights from the first day showing activities at several stations.
“Keep fueling, keep transacting and keep your eyes on our pages,” the post read.
NNPC
NNPC also shared moments from the first day of the promotion and said more pictures and activities from stations across the country would be released.
The company urged customers not to miss the opportunity to participate before the promotion ends on October 7.
The ₦66 discount offer is available through the NNPC Fuel App during the stated promotional period.
Eereporter.com
President Tinubu Tells EFCC: You Have Justified my Confidence in You
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has applauded the efforts and performance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in tackling economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption in the country, stressing that it has justified the confidence reposed on it.
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He gave this commendation on Friday, October 2, 2026 in Awka, Anambra State at the commissioning of a new Zonal Directorate of the EFCC. The President pointed out that there are evidential proofs of the success of the Commission in convictions, recoveries and other landmark achievements
Represented by Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker, House of Representatives, Tinubu noted that “supporting the EFCC is not particularly difficult. The agency has consistently demonstrated that the confidence reposed on it is well founded. Without mincing words, the evidential proof of the EFCC’s success speaks loudly in convictions secured, assets and properties recovered”
He affirmed that the strides of the Commission are in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.
“When we came in three years ago, I highlighted nine major focal areas of my administration. Two of which are reforming the economy for sustained and inclusive growth and promotion of good governance. The anti-graft agency compliments this agenda as they are focused on accountability and transparency and appropriate deployment of resources”, he said.
At the commissioning, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede restated the commitment of the Commission to preventive frameworks in tackling economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption in the country.
According to him, the Commission will continue its focus on making corrupt practices difficult by blocking avenues through which they may happen.
“This new Directorate will not only enforce the law professionally and courageously, it will be high on corruption prevention. It will engage government institutions, businesses, financial institutions, professional bodies, schools, markets, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, religious bodies and communities. It will educate stakeholders, build relationships and mobilise the people to own the fight against all forms of corrupt practices in the zone”, he said
He assured Nigerians that the EFCC would not relent in the pursuit of its mandate, recalling the achievements of the Commission in the last 34 months and describing them as impressive progress.
“The pursuit of our mandate has been our dominant engagement and in the past few years, we have made impressive progress. Between October 2023 and July 2026, the Commission received 49, 673 petitions, investigated 39, 615 cases, filed 14, 476 cases in court and secured 10, 872 convictions. This gives a conviction-to-filing ratio of 75.1 percent. In the first half of 2026 alone, we recorded 1, 370 convictions from 1, 889 filings. The Commission also recorded recoveries of N1, 233, 612, 040, 411. 11, $684, 478, 457. 32, £373, 905. 78, €9, 343, 803. 66 inn addition to recoveries in other currencies”, he said.
He noted that at the institutional level, the Commission has made radical reforms that have been yielding optimal results as there are consequential improvements in the agency’s processes and procedures, which partly explains the impacts the EFCC has made and will continue to make in all the matrices of law enforcement.
“Reforms that have strengthened the Commission during the period include new guidelines on arrest and bail, a review of sting operations, the establishment of the Department of Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, the Security Department, the Immigration and Visa Section and the Cybercrime Rapid Response Centre”, he said.
While charging Ndi Anambra on whistleblowing, the anti-graft czar said that the Commission has established channels through which members of the public can submit petitions and provide information. He noted that the Commission’s Eagle Eye App allows citizens to provide details of suspected wrongdoing and makes the provision of an informant’s personal details optional. “However, whistleblowing must be responsible and based on facts. It must not become an instrument for settling scores”, he said.
EFCC
He thereafter said that Anambra and Imo States deserve effective and responsive institutional presence as they are renowned for enterprise, innovation, commerce and an extraordinary culture of industry, adding that these legitimate activities must be protected from fraud, cybercrime, money laundering, investment fraud, diversion of public resources and other forms of economic and financial crimes. “Therefore, our coming to Awka is beyond geographical expansion. It is about taking the mandate of the EFCC closer to the people and closer to the economic activities we are meant to protect”, he said.
In their remarks, His Excellencies, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State and Senator Hope Uzodinma, Governor of Imo State said that they were pleased with the activities and management of the EFCC under the leadership of Olukoyede. They pledged their support to the Commission as it opened a new Zonal Directorate in their domain.
The commissioning of the new Directorate witnessed massive turn out of distinguished Nigerians, including members of the National Assembly, civil society organisations, community leaders, students, media among others.
Eereporter.com
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