The Federal Government, on Aug. 13, approved ₦142 billion for building modern bus terminals across Nigeria.
Sai’du Alkali, the Minister of Transportation, told journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja that the terminals will be located in Abeokuta (South-West), Gombe (North-East), Kano (North-West), Lokoja (North-Central), Onitsha (South-East), and Ewu in Edo State (South-South).
He said the total amount approved for the terminals is exactly “₦142,028,576,008.17.”
Alkali explained that the lack of proper bus terminals is causing plenty wahala like crime, road accidents, and illegal arms movement on highways, which pushed the ministry to seek approval from President Bola Tinubu and the FEC for this project.
He added that this is the first time the government is seriously tackling road transport infrastructure beyond just building roads, saying the locations were picked because they make economic sense.
The minister further noted that despite road transport being a big deal in Nigeria, there are no proper terminals to serve millions of commuters, leading to all sorts of problems on the roads.
Also, during the FEC meeting chaired by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, the government directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) still handling 2024 budget contracts to wrap up their procurement by the end of September 2025.
Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, shared this directive while briefing journalists in Abuja, citing a report from Adebowale Adedokun, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
Adedokun’s brief, presented to the president, revealed that over 70 MDAs are still dragging their feet on 2024 project procurement, even though the budget year was supposed to end in December 2024. The BPP warned that these delays could cause serious financial liabilities for the government.
The BPP recommended that Tinubu demand a full list of all projects awarded by ministers and their MDAs, with each ministry submitting details of projects for both 2024 and 2025 budgets, in line with a circular from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Idris added that the BPP, working with the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, will keep an eye on compliance and send reports to the Presidency for action.
The bureau also pushed for MDAs to prioritize made-in-Nigeria goods and services for projects, as long as they meet international standards and are certified by the right authorities, to support the Nigeria First policy.
For the 2025 budget, the BPP advised using open competitive bidding for most projects to create jobs and reduce poverty. They also suggested including the BPP Director-General in all talks for infrastructure loans to ensure proper oversight on costs and procurement.
Adedokun further raised alarm about some government-owned companies ignoring the Public Procurement Act, despite the Finance Act 2020, saying this has led to financial recklessness. The bureau called for stricter enforcement to make sure all procurement follows the law.
