News
Umahi Replies Donald Duke, Says “Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Advances Across States”
Umahi Replies Donald Duke, Says “Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Advances Across States”
The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has clarified opinion arising from the opinion expressed by former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would may not go beyond Epe, explaining that construction has already progressed beyond the area and is advancing steadily across several states.
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Speaking during an inspection of Section 4B of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Ondo State on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the Minister explained that the Renewed Hope flagship infrastructure project of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is making steady progress, creating thousands of jobs, improving security and opening new opportunities for commerce, agriculture and education.
Recalling Donald Duke’s opinion on the project, Umahi pointed out that the facts on the ground have now answered every doubt. “So the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is already on sail. And then so we have sail past Lagos that my brother Donald Duke talked about.”
The Minister explained that construction is progressing simultaneously across several state, “We are also on sail at Ogun, 28KM, on sail at Ondo, 52KM, all by two. We are already on sail in Calabar, 27km, and the Akwa Ibom, the first section of Akwa Ibom is about 47km. Those jobs are over 60 percent done. And we are on sail in the longest section of this Lagos-Calabar, that is at Akwa Ibom, 180km by two.”
Umahi emphasised that the coastal highway is not just about connecting communities but about transforming lives through employment, improved security and economic prosperity. “Roads are source of employment. We’ve counted over one thousand people within this section employed by HITECH. It is creating a lot of direct and indirect jobs. It is also solving the problem of insecurity. Because anywhere we are working, we have a lot of security people working along the corridor. We have the local people that are also helping, and they have their vigilante, they have their local security, and so it is helping. It is opening a lot of corridor for commerce, for agriculture, for education.”
The Minister maintained that constructive criticism remains welcome, provided it is accompanied by practical alternatives. “So if you want to criticize us, I’ve said it, criticize us constructively and offer alternatives.”
Umahi further explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains fully committed to delivering the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, expressing confidence that the project will be completed. “According to the words of President Bola Tinubu, he said this project will be done. With God on his side, it will be done.”
The Minister urged the people of the Niger Delta to support and defend the transformational project, describing it as one that will reshape the economic future of the region. “It is up to Niger Delta people to open their mouth and defend these projects. Of course, they should defend the project. They should defend the president. They must have to vote for the president to complete this project.”
Umahi maintained that opposition to the coastal highway does not reflect the interests of the Niger Delta people. “Those who are attacking the coastal highway, they don’t have love for the Niger Delta people.”
The Minister described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as one of the most transparent and economically prudent infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the country. “And this project is the most prudent project I’ve ever seen. When the Deutsche Bank people came to finance the first section, they said that the construction was in perfection. They said the design was in perfection, but the procurement, the cost was undervalued. And that’s why when they put it in the market, it was oversubscribed by 100m US dollars. And that is our bragging right as Minister of Works.”
Responding to concerns that the highway alignment was altered to benefit private estates, Umahi clarified that the route was changed solely on engineering and economic considerations.
He explained that the original proposal along the coastline encountered soil deposits as deep as 50 metres, making construction technically difficult and prohibitively expensive. He further noted that the original alignment would also have required bridges across three large ocean channels measuring about 3.5 kilometres each, significantly increasing the project’s cost.
He pointed out that the revised alignment followed President Tinubu’s directive to ensure that the project remained achievable without compromising quality. “This is because the president wants Ministry of Works as much as possible to see how we minimize large ocean, body waters and then rivers. So we have to navigate it in compliance to the directive of the president that this must be realized.”

Umahi
The Minister commended HITECH Construction Company for its professionalism, quality of work and peaceful relationship with host communities, describing the company as a dependable partner in the successful delivery of the project. “We commend very highly the doggedness of HITEC the partnership of HITEC, the good spirit, the good work, and the community friendliness. It doesn’t matter what anybody with envy and jealousy say, you are our partners.”
Looking ahead, Umahi expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda will leave a lasting legacy for generations of Nigerians. “And under President Bola Tinubu, this country shall be rebuilt. Every of this road that he’s constructing, for the next hundred years, maintenance free, we will not reconstruct it.”
Francis Nwaze, FIPMD
Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works (Media)
August 6, 2026
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News
PFIPC: ADC Dismisses ICPC Report as Predictable, Says Government is More Interested in Damage Control than Investigation
PFIPC: ADC Dismisses ICPC Report as Predictable, Says Government is More Interested in Damage Control than Investigation
“What has happened is a national disgrace in the full glare of the entire world. No serious government should be satisfied with identifying one culprit for prosecution.”
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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed the ICPC’s interim report on the alleged fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) as predictable and inadequate, accusing the Federal Government of prioritising damage control over a thorough investigation.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the report failed to explain how a fictitious agency allegedly secured federal office space, had civil servants deployed to it and found its way into the 2026 budget with a N1.3 billion provision, even as the investigation reportedly uncovered two other fictitious organisations linked to the principal suspect.
The full statement read:
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reviewed sections of the interim report of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that have been made public regarding the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
It would be recalled that when President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to undertake investigation into this case, ADC had waived it off, insisting instead on a full investigation by an independent panel. With the so-called interim report of the ICPC, our fears have come to pass as the report is not only predictable, it appears more concerned with exonerating government officials rather than providing clear answers to the serious questions that the scandal has raised.
The ICPC report appeared to have given the impression that what happened was mere failure in government processes or procedures. This position is difficult to sustain in the light of publicly available evidence, which establishes that this is not an error of omission or a mere glitch in the system. Instead, what happened was a grand scam that could have been possible only with the active connivance of government officials and institutions at the highest level.
The ICPC report also comes gravely short by suggesting that there could be accomplices within government, but mentioned none. Yet, an agency that was able to recommend only Adeyemi for prosecution on the basis of an investigation that the Commission itself has tagged as either on-going or inconclusive. If all that the commission had to present was a preliminary report, why not simply present it as confidential brief to the President instead of making a public drama of it in a manner that potentially prejudiced the overall investigation and cast Adeyemi as the principal culprit?
What Nigerians expected was an investigation into how a “fictitious agency” managed to obtain all authorizations and institutional support required to operate as a legitimate government agency. Instead, what we are being offered, after weeks of so-called investigation is the same official narrative that the government had offered from the start: that what happened was a case of one clever impostor who, somehow, managed to outwit an entire government.
Even as self-indicting as that would appear, the facts already in the public domain make such a conclusion difficult to sustain. What is clear is that the so-called PFIPC was not a creation of any Nigerian law or legitimate executive approval. Yet this same organisation managed to secured office space within the Federal Secretariat.
If according to the ICPC report, Adeyemi had kicked down the door of the Secretariat office and allocated it to himself, did he also deploy the civil servants to himself, allocated a reported N1.3 billion to himself in the 2026 Appropriation Act, allocated official vehicles with customized number plates to himself and deployed armed security to himself? It is indeed impossible to answer yes to these questions and not conclude that this is the most incompetent and porous government in Nigeria’s history.
The ICPC has now reportedly uncovered two additional fictitious organisations linked to Mr. Adeyemi. If this were the case, it should ordinarily widen the investigation, not narrow its conclusion.
If an investigation into one fake government agency leads investigators to two more, then the obvious question is no longer merely how one individual perpetrated an elaborate fraud. The question is how has this administration operated that made such systemic criminality possible?
There is also the matter of the purported appointment letter bearing the signature of the Chief of Staff to the President, which investigators reportedly found to have been forged. But establishing that a signature was forged only answers how the deception may have started; it does not explain how it travelled that far.
How did a forged document survive the verification procedures of government? Who verified the existence of PFIPC before civil servants were deployed to it? Who authorised its accommodation within a federal facility? Who processed its interactions with other government institutions? A forgery may explain the first door that was opened. It cannot explain why every subsequent door appears to have opened as well.
Most troubling is the N1.3 billion provision in the 2026 federal budget. Budgetary provisions do not materialise by accident. They leave records, submissions, approvals and an audit trail. The National Assembly has itself commenced an investigation into how PFIPC found its way into the federal budget.
The ADC therefore expects the ICPC to tell Nigerians who proposed the allocation, who processed it, who verified the beneficiary agency and how a body that the Presidency now says never existed survived the scrutiny required to appear in an Appropriation Act. To prosecute Mr. Adeyemi without answering these questions would be to punish the man who entered through the window while refusing to ask who left the doors open. What has happened is a national disgrace in the full glare of the entire world. No serious government should be satisfied with identifying one culprit for prosecution.

ADC
The ADC calls for the immediate publication of the full ICPC interim report. We also demand that every public official whose action or negligence enabled these entities to acquire official legitimacy must be named and held accountable where wrongdoing is established. Nigerians are not asking the government to manufacture culprits; they are asking it to follow the evidence wherever it may lead. Anything short of this, this so-called investigation, will remain what it presently appears to be: an exercise designed less to discover the truth than to contain the historic embarrassment.
Signed:
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi National Publicity Secretary African Democratic Congress (ADC)
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News
Tinubu’s Flagship Highway Projects Will Connect Nigeria, Drive Trade and Create Prosperity, Says Goronyo
Tinubu’s Flagship Highway Projects Will Connect Nigeria, Drive Trade and Create Prosperity, Says Goronyo
The Honourable Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Esq., has called on Nigerian engineers, innovators, professionals in the diaspora and international development partners to deploy their expertise and innovations towards accelerating Nigeria’s infrastructure development and economic transformation.
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Goronyo made the call while speaking at the 2026 UK Engineering Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, themed “Engineering Innovation for National Impact.”
The Minister described engineering as more than technical expertise, stressing that it remains a critical foundation for Nigeria’s national development, economic growth and prosperity.
He said Nigeria, with its large population, abundant resources and immense human capital, could only achieve sustainable transformation by embracing innovation, professionalism and deliberate investment in infrastructure.
According to him, “Roads lead to prosperity. They are not just pathways of asphalt and concrete; they are the arteries of commerce, agriculture and industry, carrying the lifeblood of our economy.”
Goronyo noted that quality road infrastructure serves as a major enabler of economic growth, facilitates movement of people and goods, reduces transportation costs, creates employment opportunities and strengthens trade across the country.
He said the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has demonstrated unprecedented commitment to infrastructure development through significant investments in road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance.
The Minister highlighted the Federal Government’s flagship legacy highway projects, describing them as strategic infrastructure corridors designed to strengthen connectivity among Nigeria’s geopolitical zones and unlock economic opportunities.
He listed the projects to include the 750-kilometre Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway; the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway; the Trans-Sahara Trade Route (Calabar–Abuja); and the 1,100-kilometre Akwanga–Jos–Maiduguri Superhighway.
Goronyo explained that the projects were not merely roads, but strategic economic lifelines designed to integrate communities, facilitate trade, strengthen regional connectivity and stimulate economic activities.
He further emphasised the importance of professional standards, regulatory compliance and accountability in the engineering sector, noting that the Federal Ministry of Works remains committed to ensuring that public infrastructure is delivered to the highest standards.
Goronyo said the Ministry had fully endorsed the proactive regulatory philosophy of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), including stronger sanctions for professional misconduct, technical monitoring mechanisms and enhanced professional development through the Engineering Residency Programme.
He stated that the Ministry, under the leadership of the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr. (Sen.) David Nweze Umahi, CON, was intensifying project audits and technical oversight to ensure that only qualified, competent and duly registered professionals are entrusted with critical public infrastructure projects.
Goronyo urged Nigerian engineers to see themselves as guardians of public safety and national development, stressing that engineering excellence must remain central to the delivery of durable and sustainable infrastructure.
He also extended an invitation to Nigerian engineers in the diaspora and international partners to bring their expertise, innovations, investments and global experience to Nigeria.
“Nigeria is open for business. Bring your talents, innovations and investments. Join us through Public-Private Partnerships, tax credit schemes and engineering collaborations. Together, we can build roads and bridges that do more than connect cities; they can connect dreams, aspirations, opportunities and prosperity,” he said.

Goronyo
Rt. Hon. Goronyo expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Glasgow Branch, for the invitation and for providing a platform for Nigerian engineers and international professionals to exchange ideas on how engineering can contribute to national development.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting President Tinubu’s vision of a Nigeria where movement is seamless, logistics are efficient, infrastructure is sustainable and prosperity is widely shared.
Signed:
Abdullahi Mohammed
SA Media to the Honourable Minister of State for Works.
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News
NNPC Records Steady Growth in Licensing Round Outcomes and Production Performance
NNPC Records Steady Growth in Licensing Round Outcomes and Production Performance
NNPC Limited continues to record steady growth in national crude oil and gas production, reinforcing the Company’s transformation into a fully commercial, globally competitive energy company.
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Against this backdrop of demonstrable progress, the Company has noted recent media commentary, credited to the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF), questioning the performance of the Company’s leadership under Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bayo Ojulari, in connection with the recently concluded oil licensing round conducted by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
While NNPC Limited welcomes scrutiny of its operations and performance, consistent with the transparency and accountability the Company holds itself to, it is important to set the record straight on the specific claims raised.
On the Licensing Round
Under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the conduct of oil licensing rounds and the allocation of oil blocks fall squarely within the statutory mandate of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). NNPC Limited, since its incorporation, has operated strictly as a commercial entity and holds no regulatory or allocative authority.
On Crude Oil Production
Publicly available data reflects a clear and sustained improvement in crude oil output under the current leadership. As of April 2025, average crude oil production stood at 1.60 million barrels per day (mbpd) inclusive of condensate. Output rose through the second half of 2025 and stabilised at 1.67 mbpd inclusive of condensate, by April 2026. This is an increase of approximately 80 thousand barrels per day which represents 6% growth. These figures are documented in NNPC Limited’s Monthly Performance Report, which is available to the public.
On Gas Production
The Company’s gas production has recorded similar growth. As of April 2025, gas production averaged 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd). By April 2026, this had risen to 7,729 mmscfd, which represents a 5% growth, an indicator of expanding gas output in support of Nigeria’s domestic energy security and export commitments. Again, these figures are documented in the publicly available NNPC Limited’s Monthly Performance Report.
NNPC Limited remains committed to operating with transparency and will continue to engage openly on matters concerning the Company’s performance and operations. The Company also reserves the right to take necessary steps to protect its reputation and that of its leadership against publication of false or unsubstantiated claims.

NNPC
We encourage industry commentators, analysts, and professional associations to verify information through the appropriate regulatory and corporate channels before publication.
This will help ensure that public commentary is factual, balanced, and contributes constructively to informed discourse on the Nigerian energy sector.
Andy Odeh
Chief Corporate Communications Officer
NNPC Limited
Abuja.
8th August 2026
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