N’West biggest beneficiary of projects under Tinubu — Information Minister

…Why Lagos, Abuja deserve more investments, cannot be ignored – Dare

The Federal Government has reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has been equitable in allocating projects, appointments, and opportunities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said in a statement on Sunday that speculation and misinformation about sectional bias were baseless, insisting that verified data demonstrated no region was being marginalised.

According to him, President Tinubu has shown “remarkable commitment to balanced development and inclusivity” since assuming office, with extensive infrastructure initiatives—roads, bridges, rail, and power—progressing simultaneously across the country.

Idris referenced the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway in the South and the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway in the North as key examples of the administration’s even-handed approach. He disclosed that of all federal road projects under way, 52 per cent are located in the North while 48 per cent are in the South.

He further revealed that the Northwest has received the highest value of federal project approvals at ₦5.97 trillion, amounting to over 40 per cent of interventions, followed by the South-South with ₦2.41 trillion. North Central stands at ₦1.13 trillion, South West excluding Lagos at ₦604 billion, South East at ₦407 billion, and North East at ₦400 billion.

Other initiatives include ₦250 billion earmarked for light rail projects in Lagos, Ogun, Kano, and Kaduna, the rehabilitation of over 1,000 primary healthcare centres nationwide, and renewed efforts to revive the Eastern rail corridor from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. Collectively, these undertakings are projected to create over 250,000 jobs across Nigeria.

“President Tinubu is building national infrastructure, not vanity projects. Lagos remains Nigeria’s commercial hub, yet the Northwest has secured the largest share of approvals, showing that all regions are being fairly considered,” Idris stated.

He added that federal appointments have been equally balanced, with competent Nigerians from all regions selected to reflect inclusivity.

Pointing to the creation of five new Regional Development Commissions and the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the Minister said these moves underscored the administration’s determination to tackle Nigeria’s varied developmental challenges.

“President Tinubu has kept faith with Nigerians, proving himself a fair, pragmatic reformer whose leadership ensures no part of the country will be left behind,” Idris said.

The Presidency also responded strongly to what it described as a pattern of biased reporting by Daily Trust newspaper. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused the publication of “deliberately distorting facts to serve a parochial agenda,” citing its controversial coverage of the Samoa Agreement as an example.

“The paper inflamed religious passions with fabricated narratives. Even after apologising, it continues to recycle falsehoods, such as its recent claims of project imbalance,” Onanuga said. “Facts are stubborn and will always triumph over deliberate deception.”

He urged Nigerians to reject what he termed “agenda-driven journalism” and demand reporting grounded in integrity and accuracy.

The Presidency’s stance was reinforced by Dare Sunday, Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication to the President, who countered headlines suggesting Lagos had received ₦3.9 trillion in federal projects in two years.

He said Lagos and Abuja’s prominence in project allocations reflected necessity, not privilege, while Northern Nigeria was benefiting from some of the largest infrastructure investments in the country’s history.

“The Abuja–Kano Expressway dualisation, ₦12.1 trillion Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, Kano–Maradi Railway, Zungeru–Kano Power Line, inland dry ports in Funtua and Bauchi, and extensive airport upgrades in Katsina, Maiduguri, and Kaduna demonstrate the government’s commitment to balanced national development,” he said.

Billions of naira, he added, were also being channelled into river basins, irrigation networks, and agro-processing zones across the North.

“For Lagos and Abuja, heavy investments are strategic. Lagos, home to over 23 million people, and Abuja, heading toward 7 million by 2030, carry service demands unmatched anywhere in Nigeria. These cities are commercial, diplomatic, and ethnic melting pots, and their infrastructure bears the weight of the entire federation,” he stated.

He stressed that neglecting infrastructure in both cities would have dire consequences for Nigeria’s economy and governance, just as global economic hubs such as New York and Johannesburg receive extraordinary federal attention due to their national importance.

Dare also linked the current allocations to long-term policy frameworks, including the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (2017–2020), the Economic Sustainability Plan (2020), the National Development Plan (2021–2025), and the forthcoming Renewed Hope Plan (2026–2030).

He called for context-driven reporting and encouraged media outlets to present inflation-adjusted, population-sensitive allocation data dating back to 2010 to foster transparency in public debate.

“The real question is not whether Lagos and Abuja deserve these investments but what the repercussions would be for Nigeria if its economic lifeblood and political centre were deprived of adequate federal support,” Dare concluded.