The 2026 Appropriation Bill earmarks a staggering ₦3.49 trillion for the Federal Ministry of Works, positioning road construction, rehabilitation and ancillary infrastructure as the backbone of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda. Central to the plan is a ₦600 billion allocation for *new projects spread across the six geopolitical zones*, a clear signal that the government intends to balance development and spread the benefits of growth more evenly.
A major catalyst for the push is the *₦367.9 billion multilateral/bilateral loan‑tied project* that will dualise the 9th Mile (Enugu)–Otukpo–Makurdi corridor (Keffi Phase II) and upgrade Lafia Road, linking the North‑East with the South‑East and opening up critical trade routes. Complementing this, *₦157 billion in counterpart funding* will see China Harbour Engineering complete the Makurdi‑9th Mile Road, further tightening the north‑south link.Zonal allocations reflect a strategic spread: the South‑West receives *₦160 billion* for ongoing works, while the South‑South, North‑West, South‑East, North‑East and North‑Central each get *₦120 billion, ₦120 billion, ₦100 billion, ₦100 billion and ₦100 billion* respectively, alongside a *₦100 billion contingency fund* to address emergent needs.Flagship corridors are also being fast‑tracked.
The *Kano‑Katsina dualisation (Phase I)* is slated for *₦52.5 billion*, while various sections of the *Kano‑Maiduguri dualisation* together command over *₦24.5 billion*. In the north‑east, the *reconstruction of the Dikwa‑Marte‑Monguno Road* receives *₦13.3 billion*, and the *Rehabilitation of Potiskum‑Fika‑Bajoga‑Gombe Road* (189 km) gets *₦7.7 billion*. The *Enugu‑Port Harcourt Road (Section III)* and the *Odukpani‑Itu‑Ikot Ekpene Road* are each funded at *₦11.9 billion* and *₦17.5 billion* respectively, promising smoother movement of goods and people between the east and the south‑south.Beyond highways, the budget funds a suite of community‑level interventions.
Notable among them are the *Garba Damargu Stadium* (*₦9.8 billion*), the *Ultra‑Modern Conference Center in Kano* (*₦5.6 billion*), and the *Ultra‑Modern Skill Acquisition Center* (*₦1.05 billion*) alongside the *Sanusi Nasarawa Library* (*₦1.05 billion*). Bridges such as the *New Ndebiji Bridge Phase 2* (*₦1.043 billion*) and the *Uromi‑Awaldo (Ukpeko Ole) Road* (*₦1.042 billion*) will improve rural access and market connectivity.The list also includes dozens of smaller but vital works: township roads, drainage, streetlights and flyovers across states like Ogun, Lagos, Abia, Kaduna and Kano, each ranging from a few hundred million to over a billion naira. Projects such as the *Iyana Ipaja Interchange emergency repair* (*₦10.1 billion*) and the *Orin‑Oreta Road in Ikorodu* (*₦2.8 billion*) demonstrate the government’s commitment to addressing urban bottlenecks.
Taken together, the 2026 budget for the Ministry of Works paints a picture of a nation determined to stitch its fragmented transport network into a cohesive whole, create jobs, and lay the groundwork for sustained economic diversification. The sheer scale of the proposed spending underscores the administration’s pledge to turn “Renewed Hope” into tangible roads, bridges and facilities that will be seen and felt across every corner of Nigeria.The 2026 budget for the Federal Ministry of Works reads like a road‑map to balanced development, with the *₦600 billion earmarked for new projects spread across the six geopolitical zones* acting as the centrepiece of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.In the *South‑West*, the additional *₦160 billion* for ongoing works is already translating into bustling activity around the Lagos‑Calabar Coastal Highway and the Iyana Ipaja Interchange, where contractors are hiring thousands of engineers, heavy‑equipment operators and support staff.
Analysts estimate that every *₦10 billion* spent on road construction generates roughly *1,500–2,000 direct jobs*, meaning the South‑West alone could see *up to 32,000* new positions this year.The *South‑South* and *North‑West* each receive *₦120 billion*, funding projects such as the Bodo‑Bonny Road and the Kano‑Katsina dualisation. These corridors are expected to unlock agricultural supply chains, creating seasonal labour for farmers, transporters and market vendors.
The same zonal allocation in the *North‑East* and *North‑Central* – *₦100 billion* each – is being channeled into rebuilding the Dikwa‑Marte‑Monguno road and upgrading the Zaria‑Hunkuyi link, projects that will restore safe passage for millions and stimulate local construction firms, again adding tens of thousands of jobs.Overall, the *₦3.49 trillion* infrastructure push is projected to generate *over 250,000* jobs nationwide, with a substantial share coming from the smaller‑scale township roads, bridges and drainage works that dot the budget. By spreading capital across all zones, the government aims not only to close the infrastructure gap but also to spread prosperity, giving communities in the hinterlands a tangible reason to believe in the “Renewed Hope” narrative.
