Tinubu Orders FERMA to Build National Database of Bad Roads, Warns Against Wasteful Repairs

 

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to compile a comprehensive geo-referenced national database of failed and failing federal roads to curb wasteful spending on repeated repairs.

He said the database must clearly outline the causes of road failures, including faulty designs, substandard construction, axle overloading, poor drainage, climate impact and weak maintenance culture.

The President stressed the need to move from emergency road repairs to a preventive, data-driven and sustainable maintenance system across the country.

Tinubu gave the directive on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2026 Roads Summit themed: “Sustainable Road Infrastructure for National Growth.” He was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

He underscored the importance of systematic road audits and reliable data management, noting that durable infrastructure planning depends on accurate knowledge of asset conditions.

According to him, FERMA should intensify routine road condition checks, safety audits and post-failure assessments on federal highways nationwide.

“With accurate and up-to-date data, Nigeria can move decisively from emergency repairs to predictive and preventive maintenance planning,” he said.

Tinubu added that a credible road asset database would improve budget accuracy, project prioritisation, contractor accountability and research collaboration with agencies such as the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI).

He noted that global best practices in road asset management emphasise lifecycle costing, performance indicators and resilience standards in infrastructure decisions.

The President said building new roads alone was not enough, stressing that preserving existing infrastructure is equally a core responsibility of government.

He also urged FERMA to deepen collaboration with the Ministry of Works to ensure stronger coordination in road management.

Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, said road transport accounts for over 90 per cent of passenger and freight movement in Nigeria, making highway maintenance critical to economic growth.

He warned that road abuse — including overloading, reckless driving and unauthorised use — is shortening the lifespan of road infrastructure.

“The consequence is a heavy drain on lean government resources, forcing repeated repairs instead of allowing expansion and modernisation of our network,” Goronyo said.

FERMA Managing Director, Dr. Emeka Agbasi, said sustainable road infrastructure goes beyond construction to efficient management and durability.

He called for long-term, lifecycle-based planning supported by data-driven asset management, resilient design standards, predictable maintenance funding and strong institutional coordination across all tiers of government.