Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has cancelled the contract awarded to Levant Construction Limited, accusing the company of abandoning its section of the Benin–Sapele–Warri road despite repeated warnings and government interventions.
This was made known in a statement on Wednesday, June 18, by his media aide, Orji Uchenna.
The road, a key federal highway, is undergoing reconstruction under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme. But according to Umahi, Levant simply failed to deliver.
“We even begged the Edo State Governor to fix the worst-hit parts while Levant handled the remaining. While the governor delivered on his 23km stretch for N35bn, Levant abandoned its section,” the minister said.
“They received multiple warning letters, including a final notice, but chose not to return to the site,” he added.
Umahi made the remarks in Abuja after meeting with contractors working on different parts of the project.
He later instructed the ministry’s Permanent Secretary to complete the termination process, measure the completed work, and begin the process of recovering public funds from Levant’s bank.
He warned that failure to return the Advance Payment Guarantee could result in the company facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In contrast to Levant’s performance, the minister praised two other contractors, Geld and SKECC, for recommitting to their jobs after contract reviews.
“I’m pleased with Geld’s commitment. For their other job on the Lokoja–Abuja road, we’ve agreed to a price review. The same applies to the Itoki–Ikorodu road. We are happy to see movement again,” Umahi said.
He also commended the governors of Delta and Edo States—Sheriff Oborevwori and Monday Okpebholo—for stepping in to fund critical portions of the federal road.
“We are grateful. These governors are doing very beautiful work,” he said.
Addressing recent claims by some northern groups that the Tinubu administration was focusing more on the South in road allocations, Umahi pushed back, calling the claims “malicious and uncharitable.”
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“In this ministry, we don’t count regions. We follow the President’s example—he inherited projects and chose to continue them irrespective of location,” Umahi said.
He pointed to the massive Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano highway as evidence, noting that the North has received a significant share of road investments under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Section I and III of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano road is worth N252bn, with 30 per cent already paid,” he explained.
“Section II, covering 164km, is valued at N525bn, with another 30 per cent—N152bn—already disbursed. Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina–Kaduna 750km road at N825bn, started under President Tinubu.
“There are Dangote-backed Tax Credit projects in Borno, including 49km in Bama and 52km in Dikwa. The N958bn dual carriageway project in Kebbi, with a second phase heading to FEC for approval.
“The 439km Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe superhighway is being redesigned to a six-lane concrete pavement on Tinubu’s directive.”
According to Umahi, under the Renewed Hope legacy projects, the North receives 52 per cent of investment while the South gets 48 per cent.
On the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, which has also stirred political debate, the minister said its funding and scale were no different from major projects in the North.
“For instance, the Kebbi section alone, with just one carriageway, is costing about N958bn. When the second lane is approved, that’s nearly N2tn—comparable to Lagos–Calabar segments,” he said.
Turning to the Eleme–Onne axis of the East–West Road, Umahi acknowledged initial delays but said the contractor, RCC, had picked up the pace.
“Let the critics go and verify. We’ve done one carriageway. Where asphalt is being reapplied, it’s around flyover intersections for smooth movement,” he explained.
Umahi ended on an optimistic note, reaffirming his commitment to quality road infrastructure across the country.
“We want Nigerians to feel the impact of governance. President Tinubu is investing heavily in roads—North, South, East and West—because he understands the economy runs on infrastructure. I have never seen such a unique President.”