Lagos Spends N700bn On Road Rehabilitation In 15 Years — Hamzat

Lagos State has spent more than N700 billion on road rehabilitation over the past 15 years, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat has disclosed.

Hamzat said the huge expenditure reflected the growing infrastructure demands placed on the state by its rapidly expanding population.

The deputy governor made the disclosure on Monday during a radio interview in Lagos, noting that the state government was also investing in transportation, housing, healthcare, education and other critical sectors.

According to him, the Lagos State Public Works Corporation has expanded its road maintenance operations to ensure wider coverage across the state.

He said the number of maintenance teams had increased from 14 to 34, comprising engineers who regularly inspect roads, identify damaged sections and carry out rehabilitation works.

“Today, we have about 9,911 roads across the state, and all of them require regular maintenance,” Hamzat said.

He noted that the rising cost of road construction and rehabilitation had placed additional pressure on the state’s finances, stressing that Lagos required significantly more resources to meet its infrastructure needs.

Hamzat also said the proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge remained on the government’s agenda but would require substantial funding to execute.

He emphasised the need to integrate road construction with drainage and flood-control measures, given Lagos’ low-lying terrain and vulnerability to flooding.

“When we do roads in Lagos, we are not just moving vehicles; we are moving water,” he said, stressing that adequate drainage channels must be provided to prevent flooding and other disasters.

The deputy governor explained that the government must properly consider the sources and discharge points of water while designing infrastructure projects across the state.

He added that addressing Lagos’ infrastructure challenges would require not only increased funding but also the development of technical expertise among professionals familiar with the state’s peculiar environmental and infrastructural needs.

Hamzat dismissed claims that government projects were concentrated in areas such as Lekki and Ajah, saying projects had been distributed across the state.

“There is no local government that we haven’t touched. However, the resources available to the government remain inadequate compared with the scale of infrastructure needs across Lagos,” he said.

On housing, the deputy governor called for a more effective mortgage system that would enable more residents to afford home ownership.

He said the state’s housing challenge had become more complex due to rapid population growth, limited land availability and increasing demand for housing and public infrastructure.

Hamzat, who is the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the 2027 election, pledged to use his experience in government to further improve infrastructure, healthcare, housing and education if elected.

He said his previous roles as Commissioner for Science and Technology, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure and Deputy Governor had given him extensive knowledge of the state’s challenges and the experience needed to address them.