The expedited re-award of sections of the Abuja–Lokoja federal highway, totaling 86 kilometres, by the federal government just weeks after the initial contract was terminated, has been praised by Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial Zone.

The Works Minister, Dave Umahi, had announced at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, 25 November 2025, the termination of several contracts due to poor performance and failure to meet delivery timelines and benchmarks.
A statement by Toye Ibitoye, legal assistant to Senator Karimi, on Thursday confirmed that the terminated contractors included Sadogi Nig Ltd, Venus Construction Ltd, Gold/Triacta Nig Ltd, and Transcrete Solutions Ltd.

However, at the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, presided over by President Bola Tinubu, the Abuja–Lokoja road project was among six major road contracts re-awarded by the government.
The other projects include 71-kilometre Suleja–Minna Road, Carter Bridge, Lagos, 132-kilometre Kano–Kangolam Road, 103-kilometre Ibadan–Ife–Ilesha Road, Second phase of the Keffi–Nasarawa–Abaji Road (129 km)

All projects are slated to feature wide concrete carriageways at an estimated total cost of N1.2 trillion.
Karimi commended President Tinubu for his responsiveness and prompt action, noting that the cancellation of the non-performing Abuja–Lokoja contracts occurred barely four months ago.

“The President, sensitive to the plight of commuters and the need for seamless socioeconomic movement, prioritised the re-award of this vital artery within a short period,” he said.
The senator highlighted that assigning multiple contractors to different segments demonstrates the administration’s commitment to swift project completion, noting that construction on the road has effectively been ongoing since the twilight of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

Chair of the Senate Committee on Services, Karimi also lauded Tinubu’s oil sector reforms, particularly the recent Executive Order on Direct Remittances (E09), which mandates that all government revenues from tax oil, profit oil, royalty oil, and gas flaring penalties be paid directly to the Federation Account.
The reform halts the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC Ltd) from deducting a 30% management fee on profit oil and gas, as well as the 30% Frontier Exploration Fund (FEF) under Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs).

By stripping NNPC of its fiscal gatekeeping role, the policy ends decades of opaque deductions that reduced available revenue for the federation.
Since July 2025, the reforms have boosted monthly allocations to the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and 774 local governments by over N2 trillion.

Karimi expressed hope that these additional funds will empower the federal government to undertake major infrastructure projects, including the East–West Road, Abuja–Lokoja–Benin Road, Benin–Sapele–Warri Road, Kabba–Isanlu–Egbe–Ilorin Road, Kabba–Iyara–Omuo Ekiti Road, and Aiyetoro Gbedde–Aiyegunle Gbedde–Kupa–Eggan Road.
“The accruals from the Executive Order on Direct Remittances will strengthen the President’s ability to deliver these projects. Seamless intra-country road networks will also complement efforts to enhance security and send a clear warning to criminals,” Karimi said.