Umahi: NNPCL Halts Road Project Funding, Tinubu Orders Completion of Inherited Works

|By Adejumo Adekunle

Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has stopped funding its tax credit road projects across the country.

Umahi disclosed this on Tuesday during an inspection of the ongoing dualisation of the East–West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction to Onne Junction in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Despite the funding setback, Umahi said President Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Works to ensure that all projects inherited under the NNPCL tax credit scheme are completed without delay.

“Let me say that this is part of the NNPC tax credit that has been stopped in terms of funding by NNPC. But graciously, we have compiled all the NNPC inherited tax credit projects, and we presented them as the Ministry of Works to Mr President. And Mr President has graciously directed that none of such works should stop now,” Umahi said in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Orji Uchenna Orji.

The minister stressed that the government would prioritise the most critical projects along key national economic corridors. He also announced that contracts valued below ₦20 billion under the Federal Government-funded projects would be awarded to local contractors in line with Nigeria’s “first policy.”

Umahi assured that the ministry will focus resources on major aspects of the inherited NNPCL tax credit projects nationwide to ensure timely delivery.