For motorists travelling between Benin City and Asaba, the journey has increasingly become a test of patience, with deteriorating sections of the Benin-Asaba Highway causing prolonged delays, traffic gridlocks and growing frustration.
But there may now be a glimmer of relief.
The Federal Ministry of Works has assured Nigerians that urgent steps are being taken to rescue the 125-kilometre strategic highway, disclosing that it is exploring an alternative arrangement to restore the road and ease the hardship being experienced by motorists and residents along the corridor.
The Federal Controller of Works, Edo State Field Headquarters, Engr. T. A. Babatunde, gave the assurance at a press briefing in Benin City on Monday, September 7, 2026.
Babatunde said the Minister of Works, Engr. Sen. David Umahi, was determined to ensure that the highway receives urgent attention, particularly in view of its importance to transportation, trade and economic activities across several regions.
The Benin-Asaba Highway stretches from the Ring Road Roundabout in Benin City to Summit Junction in Asaba, Delta State. It serves as a major Federal Highway linking the South-South, South-East and parts of the South-West, facilitating the movement of passengers, goods and commercial vehicles.
The Federal Controller explained that the project is one of the pilot corridors under Phase I of the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), which was designed to attract private-sector investment and technical expertise for the sustainable development, operation and management of Federal Highways.
Following a competitive procurement process, the Federal Executive Council approved the concession of the Benin-Asaba Highway on January 16, 2023, under a Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement.
The concession was structured for a 25-year period, including a three-year construction phase.
The Federal Ministry of Works subsequently executed the Concession Agreement with Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) on May 23, 2023.
Under the agreement, BAECC was expected to invest in the reconstruction and upgrading of the existing highway and recover its investment over the concession period.
However, the project has run into serious difficulties, with the deteriorating condition of the road becoming particularly severe in recent months.
Babatunde recalled that the situation reached a critical point on August 16, 2026, when residents around the project area protested over the worsening state of the road and what they perceived as the slow pace of construction.
The development subsequently prompted the Minister of Works, accompanied by the Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, to visit the project site on August 25 for an on-the-spot assessment and engagement with motorists and other affected stakeholders.
During the visit, Umahi expressed serious concerns about the performance of the concessionaire, saying BAECC had allegedly defaulted on several provisions of the Concession Agreement, resulting in a dispute over the execution of the project.
Among the issues identified were the complete scarification of portions of the existing stable asphaltic surface, the alleged engagement of unqualified and professionally incompetent personnel, inadequate capacity to execute the project, extremely slow progress of work, substandard workmanship and poor traffic management.
The Ministry also attributed recurring traffic gridlocks along the corridor to inadequate traffic management, with serious incidents recorded in December 2025 and again from August 19, 2026.
Babatunde said the removal of existing asphalt without adequate and timely reconstruction had left portions of the underlying road foundation exposed to prolonged rainfall, worsening the condition of some sections.
According to him, the Minister observed during the inspection that some of the damaged portions could no longer be effectively restored through conventional asphalt overlay and might require Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) to regain their structural integrity.
FG Considers Alternative Arrangement
On the status of the concession agreement, Babatunde clarified that the contract had not simply been terminated, stressing that government contracts are subject to established legal and contractual procedures.
He said the Minister had proposed a mutual termination of the concession arrangement, subject to the necessary legal and contractual processes, because of the challenges surrounding the project’s execution.
Umahi also called for urgent measures to alleviate the suffering of motorists, including the possibility of allowing another Federal Ministry of Works contractor with the requisite professional competence and experience to intervene on the project.
The Minister further requested that BAECC reinstate the scarified sections of the highway to restore the road’s stability to the condition in which it was before the concessionaire commenced work approximately 16 months ago.
Babatunde, however, expressed concern that about two weeks after the Minister’s engagement with the concessionaire and other stakeholders, no meaningful intervention had been recorded on the affected sections.
He said the Federal Ministry of Works was consequently intensifying efforts to develop an alternative solution within the legitimate powers of the Ministry and ensure that work resumes on the highway as quickly as possible.
“We understand the pains motorists and residents are going through, and we are not taking their concerns lightly,” Babatunde said, urging road users to exercise patience while the necessary processes are being completed.
He reiterated that the Federal Government understands the strategic importance of the Benin-Asaba corridor and would not allow the highway to remain in its present condition.
The Federal Controller also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its infrastructure development efforts across the country, noting that federal road projects are ongoing in several states.
He equally praised Umahi for his continued physical monitoring of federal road projects nationwide, saying the Minister had personally visited Edo State several times within the past six months to inspect projects and engage stakeholders.
For motorists who have endured the gridlocks, damaged carriageways and increasingly difficult journeys along the Benin-Asaba corridor, the Ministry’s latest assurance now comes with a clear expectation: that the promised intervention will move swiftly from government meetings and contractual processes to visible work on the ground.
Babatunde assured road users that the Benin-Asaba Highway would not be abandoned in its present state, stressing that the Ministry remained committed to finding a lasting solution and restoring the strategic corridor to a safe and motorable condition.
The Federal Government consequently appealed to motorists, residents, transport operators and other road users to remain calm and patient as it works through the necessary legal and technical processes to bring in a credible and technically capable intervention.
