Nigeria’s Federal Government has warned China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and its sister firm, China Harbour Operation and Maintenance Company (CHOMC), over complaints of poor workmanship, slow deployment of equipment, and environmental concerns on major federal road projects.
The warnings came after a high-level meeting led by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, at the Ministry of Works headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Thursday, 5 February 2026. Okay News reports that officials of the Ministry met with representatives of the two Chinese firms to review public complaints and restate contractor responsibilities under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which has branded its policy agenda as the Renewed Hope programme.
CHEC and CHOMC are involved in the Mararraba to Keffi to Akwanga to Lafia to Makurdi Dual Carriageway, and they are also working on other projects, including the Makurdi to 9th Mile to Enugu Road and the 7th Axial Road in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial centre and largest city.
In a statement issued on Friday, 6 February 2026, the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Mohammed Ahmed, said Umahi called the meeting to protect government investments, respond to growing public concerns, and enforce accountability on federally funded projects.
Umahi said the Ministry received a formal petition from residents along the Makurdi to 9th Mile to Enugu corridor, warning that heavy dust from construction activities was creating environmental problems and raising public health concerns for communities on the route. He directed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry to issue an immediate warning letter to the contractor and to demand dust-control steps, including soil stabilisation and other approved measures.
The minister warned that if the dust problem is not addressed within seven days, the project would be suspended.
The statement also highlighted the importance of the Mararraba to Keffi to Akwanga to Lafia to Makurdi Dual Carriageway, describing it as a strategic North Central corridor that links the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with Nasarawa State and Benue State, and serves as a key route toward Nigeria’s South East and parts of the North East. The road was planned as a dual carriageway to ease traffic, cut travel time, and improve safety on a route often associated with serious crashes, before later being restructured into a concession and operation-and-maintenance arrangement involving CHEC and CHOMC.
Umahi noted that although the project started under a previous government, the current administration has completed and tolled some sections. However, he raised concern that parts completed earlier were already failing and needed urgent corrective work.
He restated an earlier directive that the first five kilometres must be milled and reconstructed with concrete pavement, then properly resurfaced and re-marked, and he gave the contractor seven days to begin the corrective work. He also ordered repairs on other failed sections through milling and overlay, with special attention to defective areas around Nasarawa State University, failed bridge expansion joints, damaged manhole covers, blocked drainages, washouts, and poor vegetation control.
Beyond the road surface, the minister instructed that road furniture such as signage and safety installations must be restored after maintenance work. He also asked the contractor to improve highway safety management by strengthening corridor monitoring and ensuring that broken-down vehicles are removed quickly to reduce crashes and traffic obstruction.
On the 7th Axial Road project in Lagos, Umahi expressed frustration about what he described as weak site mobilisation, despite multiple engagements with the contractor in both Lagos and Abuja. He said substantial mobilisation funds had already been paid to CHEC, but essential equipment had not been brought to site, with only limited clearing work completed.
He warned, “If full mobilisation is not achieved within the agreed timeframe, we will recover the funds and take firm contractual action.”
Umahi said President Tinubu’s administration would not accept poor execution, unnecessary delays, or failure to meet contract terms. He added that the government would apply measures such as warning letters, withholding of certificates, and other contractual sanctions where required.
The minister said the Federal Government remains focused on protecting lives, maintaining the integrity of public infrastructure, and ensuring value for public money. He added that Tinubu was determined to move away from practices that weaken national development and reduce public trust in government projects.
As further background, Umahi said the administration inherited 2,064 ongoing projects valued at more than ₦13 trillion as of Monday, 29 May 2023, excluding projects under the Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme. He said that despite funding pressures, road construction and rehabilitation were continuing nationwide, while noting that the entire federal road network could not be completed within a single four-year term. He argued that sustained work over the next five years would bring major improvements to Nigeria’s transport infrastructure.
He also urged Nigerians to support the continuation of the Tinubu administration beyond 2027, saying infrastructure and transportation are key drivers of economic growth.
Responding for the two companies, the Acting Executive Director for Operations of CHOMC, Stephen Lee, pledged that industry-standard anti-dust measures would be implemented across construction sites. He also promised full mobilisation on the 7th Axial Road in Lagos and repairs on failed sections along the Mararraba to Lafia corridor.
Umahi concluded by restating that contractors must meet agreed standards or face consequences, insisting that the Federal Government is determined to deliver safe, durable roads that offer value to Nigerians.
