The Federal Government plans to engage 4,000 social media influencers to promote infrastructure projects delivered under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Works David Umahi has said.
Umahi disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday 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.
The minister said the proposed influencer network would help the government communicate its projects and achievements directly to Nigerians, particularly young people, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We have to fight this social media war. We have to launch 4,000 social media influencers to tell our stories,” Umahi said.
He said Nigerians needed to be informed about what he described as the gains recorded under the Tinubu administration.
Umahi also said the government would consider constructing pedestrian bridges around university campuses following concerns raised by NANS during its inspection of federal projects.
He commended the students’ association for independently inspecting federal projects and assessing their impact.
The minister further said the 105-kilometre pavement currently under construction on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would be completed by November.
He, however, expressed concern over alleged vandalism along the highway, saying some individuals were destroying infrastructure and removing safety installations.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has faced controversy over its environmental impact assessment, alignment and possible implications for flooding in Lagos.
The Federal Ministry of Environment had conducted public-display exercises for the environmental and social impact assessment reports covering sections one and two of the project.
The highway also came under renewed scrutiny following flooding in parts of Lagos, with some stakeholders calling for an independent assessment of whether its 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 highway was designed to help mitigate flooding, adding that drainage infrastructure had been incorporated into the project to evacuate water from surrounding areas.
The minister urged Nigerians to protect public infrastructure, saying the government would continue to engage citizens in monitoring its projects.
