Benue State Government Clarifies ₦28 Billion vs ₦68 Billion Contract Price for Makurdi-Gboko Road Reconstruction

The Benue State Government has provided a detailed explanation addressing public concerns over the cost of reconstructing a section of the Makurdi-Gboko Road (Federal Highway F121), specifically the 13km stretch from Wurukum Roundabout to Airforce Base in Makurdi.

In an official statement by Engr. Aper Zava, Director-General of the Benue State Public Procurement Commission, the government noted that the project became a priority under Governor Hyacinth Alia. Since F121 is a federal road, the state secured approval from the Federal Ministry of Works for reconstruction with reimbursement.

The initial contract was competitively awarded to Bauhaus Global Investment Nigeria Limited at ₦28,342,831,949.18 for the rehabilitation of the 13km section (removal of old asphalt, side drains, sub-base, base layers, new asphalt, and road markings).

However, the establishment of the Renewed Hope Estate (RHE) at km 23 introduced significant adjustments. The scope was expanded to include an additional 10km from Airforce Base to the RHE, upgraded to dual carriageway, along with the construction of a 100m bridge across River Mu, new culverts, drains, utility relocations, and compensation for affected persons.

This additional work (S2) was estimated at ₦39,986,455,698.39, bringing the total contract sum to approximately ₦68.33 billion. The statement emphasised that comparing costs solely by distance is misleading, as the expanded scope involves far more complex engineering works, including building a new carriageway from scratch and major infrastructure.

The government reiterated its commitment to transparency in public procurement and invited constructive engagement from the public.