Nigeria losing N1tn annually to bad roads’
Published

October 16, 2019
Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja

Nigeria is losing over N1tn annually as a result of bad roads across the country, the Senate has said.

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency also put the cost in man-hours loss due to bad roads and traffic delays at N1.02tn per annum.

Speaking on the sidelines of a stakeholders’ forum on road maintenance and reforms organised by FERMA in Abuja, the Senate Committee Chairman for the agency, Senator Gershom Bassey, said findings by experts submitted to the Senate showed that Nigeria was losing the amount to bad roads.

He said, “We lose over N1tn every year as a result of bad roads.”

He also stated that the enforcement of stipulated laws would help address the challenge of road maintenance.

Bassey said, “I think the first thing is to obey the law. Clearly, there is a FERMA Act and the key issue in road maintenance is funding. This issue was addressed in 2008 in the amendment of the FERMA Act, which provided for additional sources of funding for road maintenance.

“But the problem we have now is that that law has not been obeyed by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, as it is supposed to ensure that a portion of the tax on petrol and diesel is credited to FERMA for the maintenance of roads.”

On his part, the Chairman of the Governing Board of FERMA, Tunde Lemo, said funding for Nigerian roads was less than one per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, adding that this was far less than the three per cent of the GDP recommended by the World Bank as a minimum spending threshold.


He said, “The cost of loss in man-hours due to bad roads and traffic delays is N1.02tn per annum. Burden of inaction has been computed to be N85 for every N1 not spent in good time to maintain the Nigerian roads as of 2018. These numbers are staggering and this calls for immediate action.

He stated that over 80 per cent of travels in Nigeria were carried out on the road, with about 90 per cent of that being largely federal interstate roads.

Lemo added, “With only about 10,0000km of federal roads in ‘good’ state and about 13,300km and 11,600km in fair and bad state, respectively, it isn’t difficult to understand why road density in Nigeria is a paltry 0.21km/sq.km2.”

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This Is Killing!

Well let them use the looted funds to fix it

What happen to sukuk fund? Is time we put this so called country Nigeria for a long time lease.

Buhari is a bigot and doesn't care

If Nigeria regrets losing such amount, she would have constructed the roads and non will have been dilapidated

It's really frustrating though.

U would see a very nice and viable business, that the government can tax for revenue, that can help employ people. Bad roads would just kill the business and at the end they won't still fix the road

human lives nko?
dis people no send us

The Federal roads in the SS and SE has completly collapsed, you can't drive 10 minutes straight, I traveled to Calabar yesterday and the road linking Akwa- Ibom and Cross River state is bad. The road linking Aba and Ph is so terrible that people now use trains and the trains collided two months ago and stopped working

This government na the real scam!!! Chaiii

Instead of them to fix things dem go complain give us...Sey na wetin una promise be this when we vote una

I see nothing wey APC take better pass PDP


Under past administrations , we had educated officials but these illiterates about to lead us into the canal o!!!

atarapa:
What happen to sukuk fund? Is time we put this so called country Nigeria for a long time lease.

To the Rwandans

Lost or stolen..be specific...?

nony43:
The Federal roads in the SS and SE has completly collapsed, you can't drive 10 minutes straight, I traveled to Calabar yesterday and the road linking Akwa- Ibom and Cross River state is bad. The road linking Aba and Ph is so terrible that people now use trains and the trains collided two months ago and stopped working

trains collided .... nawa o

FERMA don go holiday since 2015

There are two major civilizing elements: good roads and electricity. Nigeria has failed on both counts and that's why she's still in the stone age.

A government which cannot provide basics... Which kind of government is that? Water, roads, schools, hospitals and electric power are basic. In saner climes, the govt dont even count the provision of these basics as an achievement. Indeed this is a shit hole country.

TheMainMan:
trains collided .... nawa o

Yes, I was surprised i didn't see it in the news I refreshed Nairaland tire for the news

Are there any sukuk funded projects in the south?

Cutehector:
Are there any sukuk funded projects in the south?

Yes.
Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway.

Spare parts dealers make money from it too.

Sad reality

RichDad1:

Yes.
Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway.

south like I mean, port Harcourt/Aba, delta, bayelsa, owerri

Fashola is a disappointment as far as federal roads are concerned. I am not impressed at all.
FERMA was partially active until he took over in 2015 and rendered them totally ineffective.

Cutehector:
south like I mean, port Harcourt/Aba, delta, bayelsa, owerri

Is the one I mention not in the South?
Maybe someone that is conversant with those areas can help you out.

akdjr:
Spare parts dealers make money from it too.

Same goes for Petroleum stations.
I believe there’s a grand conspiracy in place to make sure Nigerians spend more times in traffic. Thereby increasing our petroleum consumption which in turns increase government revenues.
Same goes for unstable electricity. To boost AGO sales.

Which bad roads? God go save us from these polithieficians

FERMA is a failure.

There is a road they have been trying to patch every month and it has never lasted

But after chinese patch the road. Its 6months the road is still good.

FERMA IS A FAILURE.

I feel like puking right now. Lagos roads are the worst on the African continent. A vote for sanwo olu is wasted already

Nigeria is not losing any money, you animals are pocketing it.
so, our money dey with u big belle apes.

Very true.quote author=RichDad1 post=83176543]
Same goes for Petroleum stations.
I believe there’s a grand conspiracy in place to make sure Nigerians spend more times in traffic. Thereby increasing our petroleum consumption which in turns increase government revenues.
Same goes for unstable electricity. To boost AGO sales. [/quote]