The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has inducted the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, as its Grand Patron, citing his contributions to road infrastructure and their impact on the mobility, education and economic opportunities of Nigerian students.
The induction took place on Monday at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, with NANS national leaders and student representatives from institutions across the country in attendance.
The NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, who led the delegation, described Umahi as a “worthy member of the Renewed Hope Cabinet” and one of the finest public servants in contemporary Nigeria.
Afeez said the honour was not merely ceremonial, stressing that the condition of roads and bridges had a direct bearing on the daily experiences of Nigerian students.
According to him, improved road infrastructure facilitates students’ movement to campuses, access to examinations and internships, as well as opportunities for businesses and employment.
He specifically cited the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway, Abuja-Kaduna-Minna route, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as some of the major federal infrastructure projects whose progress had attracted the attention of the students’ body.
Afeez disclosed that NANS had reviewed project reports from the Federal Ministry of Works covering the period from May 2023 to May 2026.
He said the association would embark on nationwide inspection tours of completed and rehabilitated federal road projects to independently assess their impact and communicate its findings to millions of Nigerian students.
“History will not remember public officers merely because they occupied important offices. History will remember them for what they built, what they changed and the lives they touched,” Afeez said.
Responding, Umahi thanked NANS for the recognition and challenged Nigerian students to remain informed about government policies while holding public officials accountable.
He said the Federal Government’s ongoing infrastructure projects were part of efforts to reposition the country and improve economic activity.
The minister said Nigeria’s economic outlook was also beginning to improve, claiming that the country’s Gross Domestic Product was now growing faster than its population.
“I was enthused to find out that our GDP is growing more than our population. That means we have a future,” Umahi said.
He also highlighted several road projects being executed by the Federal Government, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano corridor, Bodo-Bonny Island road, Sokoto-Zamfara-Zaria corridor and Benue-Ninth Mile road.
On the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway, Umahi said more than N200bn had been spent, with about 480 kilometres of the dual carriageway completed.
He also said 118 kilometres of concrete pavement had been delivered within 30 months.
The minister disclosed that the 39.7-kilometre Bodo-Bonny Island road had been completed at a cost of N280bn, describing the project as a major intervention for residents of Bonny Island.
Umahi further defended the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying more than 50 per cent of the project was already under construction.
He said other major projects in the Southeast and Northeast were also being prioritised by the Federal Government, including the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and the expanded Northeast Fourth Legacy Project.
The minister also disclosed that approval had been granted for the re-scoping and reconstruction of the 401-kilometre Lokoja-Benin-Warri corridor.
On the education sector, Umahi noted that students had completed an academic cycle without a nationwide strike, describing the development as evidence of relative stability in the sector.
“For the first time, students never went on strike. Never. Look at the stability of Nigeria. That has never happened throughout the history of this country,” he said.
Umahi also urged NANS to organise a zonal engagement where students could directly question ministers and other senior government officials on policies affecting young Nigerians.
“Organise it and let me come. Move students from across the zone to a central point where we can talk to them and address their concerns,” he said.
The minister further urged the students to assess the performance of the Tinubu administration and make informed decisions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said Nigerians should look beyond political sentiments and consider the policies and alternatives being offered by political actors.
Concluding, Umahi urged the students to remain active participants in national affairs.
“See something, say something. Together, we can take back our country because it belongs to us,” he said.
