FG to engage 4,000 influencers to showcase Tinubu’s projects, says Umahi

The federal government has announced plans to engage 4,000 social media influencers to showcase infrastructure projects delivered under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

David Umahi, minister of works, spoke on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving a report from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on its inspection of federal road projects in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna and Sokoto.

Umahi said the proposed influencer network would help communicate the government’s achievements directly to Nigerians, particularly young people ahead of the 2027 general election.

“We have to fight this social media war. We have to launch 4,000 social media influencers to tell our stories,” he said.

The minister said Nigerians needed to hear about the gains recorded under Tinubu’s administration.

He also said the government would consider constructing pedestrian bridges around university campuses following concerns raised by NANS during its inspection.

Umahi commended the students’ association for independently inspecting federal projects and assessing their impact.

The minister also said the 105-kilometre pavement under construction on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would be completed by November.

He also raised concerns over vandalism along the highway, saying some people were destroying infrastructure and removing safety installations.

The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway has been the subject of controversy over its environmental impact assessment (EIA), alignment and potential implications for flooding in Lagos.

The federal ministry of environment had conducted public-display exercises for the environmental and social impact assessment reports for sections one and two of the project, covering the first 104 kilometres of the highway.

The project came under renewed scrutiny following flooding in parts of Lagos, with some stakeholders calling for an independent assessment of whether the highway’s alignment, construction and drainage system contributed to the flooding.

The federal government has rejected claims that the coastal highway caused flooding in Lagos.

Umahi said the road was designed to mitigate flooding, adding that drainage infrastructure was incorporated into the project to evacuate water from surrounding areas.

The minister, however, urged Nigerians to protect public infrastructure and said the government would continue to engage citizens in monitoring its projects.