Tinubu Directs FERMA to Adopt Preventive Road Maintenance Strategy!

Tinubu Directs FERMA to Adopt Preventive Road Maintenance Strategy!

Reported by Mustapha Labake Omowumi | Sele Media Africa Journalist

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to shift from reactive repairs to a preventive, planned and data-driven road maintenance strategy aimed at sustaining Nigeria’s federal road network and reducing long-term costs.
The president issued the directive at the 2026 Roads Summit held on Tuesday in Abuja, where he stressed the importance of evidence-based planning through comprehensive road audits and robust data systems. According to him, the new framework will focus on identifying the true condition of road assets and addressing potential failures before they occur.
At the event, Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, tasked FERMA with compiling a national, geo-referenced database of failed and failing federal roads. The database is expected to capture the causes of deterioration, including construction defects, poor drainage, climate impacts and excessive axle loading.
“The days of emergency repairs after roads have already failed must give way to preventive and predictive road maintenance planning,” the president said, emphasising that effective infrastructure management begins with accurate and reliable data.
Tinubu further called for sustained routine road condition audits, safety assessments and post-failure analyses to strengthen FERMA’s planning capacity and ensure the protection of critical national road networks.
The directive aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises improved infrastructure delivery and seeks to ensure that federal roads are safer, more durable and resilient to wear and tear.
The shift comes amid ongoing concerns over the funding and operational capacity of FERMA, which has historically faced budgetary constraints and logistical challenges in maintaining Nigeria’s vast federal road network.

Citation:
1.Vanguard Newspaper
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/02/tinubu-directs-ferma-to-adopt-preventive-road-maintenance/

2.Punch Newspapers
https://punchng.com/tinubu-directs-ferma-to-adopt-preventive-road-maintenance/

3.Ripples Nigeria
https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/tinubu-directs-ferma-to-adopt-preventive-road-maintenance/

4.The Nation Newspaper
https://thenationonlineng.net/why-we-embark-on-road-infrastructure-revolution-by-president-tinubu/

5.New Telegraph Nigeria
https://newtelegraphng.com/fg-road-construction-critical-aspect-of-rha/

About The Author

Mustapha Labake Omowumi

author

Mustapha Labake Omowumi is a journalist from Ibadan, Oyo State, and a graduate of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in Economics and Mathematics. He demonstrates a strong commitment to professional journalism, with a keen interest in writing and storytelling, guided by principles of self-discipline, accuracy, and trustworthiness.

See author's posts