NIHTE Holds AGM, Conference In Ibadan, Advocates Sustainable Funding for Road Maintenance

OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos

The Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers (NIHTE) on Friday, December 5, 2025, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM), Conference and Fellowship Conferment at the Ogunlana Hall, International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, with a strong call for sustainable and dedicated funding for road maintenance in Nigeria.

The high-level event, which attracted highway and transportation engineering professionals from across the country, was organised around the theme “Sustainable Funding for Road Maintenance.” Participants used the forum to examine the deepening crisis in Nigeria’s road infrastructure and to advocate policy and institutional reforms that would guarantee consistent funding for maintenance.

Speaking at the conference, the Deputy National Chairman of NIHTE, Engr. Dr. Bola Mudashiru, said the theme was deliberately chosen to draw the attention of policymakers to the urgent need to operationalise existing legislative proposals, including the bill seeking to dedicate five per cent of fossil fuel taxes to road maintenance nationwide. He also disclosed that 47 members of the institution were conferred with fellowship awards in recognition of their professional contributions.

He commended the government and discussed necessary alternative funding for roads, as seen in other African and global countries.

“The Road Reform bills proposed by the Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation require government assent, and an executive order is needed for the government to significantly boost funding alternatives and support the nation’s road and infrastructure initiatives.” He said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Engr. Rafiu Lasisi, described the event as historic, noting that the Ibadan Chapter became the first in the history of the institution to host the National AGM and Fellowship Award Ceremony following approval by the national headquarters. He said the choice of Ibadan aligned with the city’s status as host of the Nigerian Society of Engineers’ (NSE) 2025 annual conference.

Lasisi commended the National Executive Committee and members of the Ibadan Chapter for their commitment to the successful hosting of the programme, urging participants to engage fully in deliberations aimed at strengthening the engineering profession and advancing national development.

In an address delivered on his behalf by Engr. Dr. Mudashiru, the National Chairman of NIHTE, Engr. Francis Oriakhi, said the conference provided a vital platform to discuss reforms in the highway and transportation sector and to chart a sustainable roadmap for Nigeria’s road infrastructure. He highlighted key achievements recorded during his first year in office, including the establishment of a new chapter in Kano, plans to open additional chapters in Ilorin, Maiduguri and Owerri in early 2026, and the successful hosting of an International Road Federation (IRF)-certified workshop.

Oriakhi added that the institution also recorded significant growth in membership and improved its ranking in the NSE group dynamics competition. He congratulated newly inducted fellows, describing them as professionals who have distinguished themselves through service and excellence.

Delivering the keynote lecture, the former Managing Director of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Godson Chimezie Amos, presented a grim assessment of Nigeria’s road sector, noting that over 60 per cent of the country’s estimated 200,000 kilometres of roads are in poor condition. He attributed the problem to chronic funding shortfalls, climate impacts and excessive axle loads from heavy-duty vehicles.

Amos highlighted the economic consequences of poor roads, including high logistics costs, post-harvest losses in agriculture and billions of naira lost annually. He advocated a shift to a dedicated, user-based road funding model, drawing examples from Kenya, Ghana and Zambia. He called on the Federal Government to activate the proposed fuel surcharge for road maintenance and urged the National Assembly to strengthen transparency and accountability mechanisms.

Other speakers, including the President of the Association for Consulting Engineers, Engr. Kam Salem Bukar, stressed the need for more deliberate engagement with policymakers, while a former President of the NSE, Engr. Alade Ajibola, called for stronger public-private collaboration and greater participation of Nigerian engineers in highway maintenance. The African Representative to the World Council of Civil Engineers, Engr. Aisha Umar, commended NIHTE for organising a timely and impactful conference.

The conference concluded with a consensus that sustainable funding, political will and inclusive stakeholder engagement remain critical to rescuing Nigeria’s road infrastructure from decades of neglect.