He assured Nigerians that construction is progressing steadily despite the ongoing rainy season.
Speaking during an inspection of federal road projects in Ebonyi State on Saturday, Umahi said work on the flagship highway would continue uninterrupted, aided by the administration’s adoption of concrete pavement technology.
“The project is about 28 per cent completed. We are not stopping because of the rain. Work continues, especially with President Bola Tinubu’s concrete road technology,” he said.
Umahi described the highway as a transformational economic corridor that would link Nigeria with neighbouring countries while opening up vast agricultural, industrial and commercial opportunities across the country.
According to him, the project revives a vision first conceived during the colonial era but left unrealised for decades.
“We presented the concept to the President, a man divinely called to do the impossible. What was once a colonial dream is now being realised more than sixty years later,” the minister said.
He noted that the corridor would strengthen trade with Cameroon and improve transportation for agricultural produce, particularly rice from Cross River, Benue and Ebonyi states.
“The President is fulfilling that vision, and I am very happy because this is a major trade corridor. It connects us to Cameroon and serves as a transport route for rice-producing areas in Cross River, Benue and Ebonyi States,” he added.
Umahi said the Trans-Saharan Super Highway is one of four signature infrastructure projects of the Tinubu administration.
He stated that the projects should be viewed as long-term economic investments rather than conventional road construction schemes.
“As I have always said, the four legacy projects of Mr President are not merely road construction projects; they are investments,” he stated.
The minister explained that strategic infrastructure investments remain a proven tool for economic growth, job creation and industrial expansion, adding that the Tinubu administration is leveraging road development to stimulate broader economic activities nationwide.
Leading a Federal Government delegation headed by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on the inspection tour, Umahi also showcased several ongoing federal road projects across Ebonyi State and the South-East.
At the Calabar-Abuja corridor project site, he highlighted the construction of a major flyover along the Trans-Sahara route, designed to eliminate traffic conflicts at a critical junction.
He further revealed that the Federal Government had made provision in the 2026 budget to connect the corridor directly to the Ebonyi State capital.
“The road going to the capital city, which is 18 kilometres from this point, is included in the 2026 budget, and the Federal Government will undertake the connection to the city centre,” he said.
Despite funding constraints, Umahi assured contractors that all outstanding payments would be settled, insisting that work must continue to meet the government’s target of commissioning key sections by December.
He also provided updates on other strategic projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway and the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Abuja Corridor, describing them as investments designed to transform the Nigerian economy.
According to him, plans along the various corridors include dams, irrigation facilities, power infrastructure, housing estates, industrial clusters, hotels and renewable energy projects that will generate both direct and indirect employment opportunities.
The minister also disclosed that the 51-kilometre Okposi-Ohaozara-Ukawu-Cross River road project, valued at N53bn, is nearing completion, with one section over 90 per cent completed and another about 60 per cent completed.
He added that the extension of the road to Akam, where the newly approved South-East Army Depot is located, has been captured in the 2026 budget, while a new flyover is planned at Okposi to improve traffic flow and regional connectivity.
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