The Federal Government says it plans to engage 4,000 social media influencers to showcase infrastructure projects executed under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving a report from the National Association of Nigerian Students on its inspection of federal road projects in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna and Sokoto states.
Umahi said the proposed influencer network would be used to communicate the government’s projects and achievements to Nigerians, particularly young people, as the country approaches 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 it was necessary for Nigerians to be informed about what he described as the gains recorded by the Tinubu administration.
Umahi also said the government would consider building pedestrian bridges around university campuses following concerns raised by NANS during its inspection of federal projects.
He commended the students’ association for carrying out an independent assessment of federal projects and examining their impact on surrounding communities.
On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi said the 105-kilometre pavement currently under construction would be completed by November.
He, however, expressed concern over vandalism along the highway, alleging that some individuals were destroying infrastructure and removing safety installations.
The coastal highway has faced scrutiny over issues including its environmental impact assessment, alignment and possible implications for flooding in Lagos.
The Federal Ministry of Environment had previously conducted public-display exercises for the environmental and social impact assessment reports covering sections one and two of the project, spanning the first 104 kilometres of the highway.
The project also came under renewed attention 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 maintained that the highway was designed with flood mitigation in mind, saying drainage infrastructure had been incorporated into the project to channel water away from surrounding areas.
The minister also urged Nigerians to protect public infrastructure, adding that the government would continue to involve citizens in monitoring the implementation of its projects.
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