Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has said he would resign if the ongoing Abuja–Kaduna–Kano road project fails an independent quality assessment.

Senator Umahi made the pledge on Wednesday while defending his ministry’s budget before a joint session of Nigeria’s National Assembly. His comments followed concerns from lawmakers over the award of part of the contract to a firm some legislators described as relatively unknown and previously associated with generator sales.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State who represents Edo North, questioned why the contract had been reassigned from an established construction company to a contractor he said lacked a proven track record in road building.

In response, Mr Umahi rejected the criticism, arguing that the quality of work should be the primary measure of a contractor’s suitability. He challenged lawmakers to carry out independent testing of the Abuja–Kaduna section, saying he was confident in the results.

“I don’t know their background. Whether they sold generators or livestock is irrelevant. What matters is the quality,” he said. “Bring your best concrete testers. If it fails, I will resign.”

The minister added that infrastructure failures are often caused by poor supervision rather than the choice of construction materials, stressing that proper oversight is essential to ensure durability.

During his presentation, Mr Umahi also criticised the current funding structure for capital projects, describing the cash release system managed by the Federal Ministry of Finance as a major constraint on his ministry’s performance.

Defending a proposed budget of 3.4 trillion naira, he said inconsistent funding had slowed the pace of project delivery. He noted that more than 95% of projects under the ministry were ongoing.

The budget defence session was marked by tense exchanges between the minister and lawmakers. At one point, Mr Umahi asked a legislator to pause so he could follow the line of questioning, prompting objections from some members.

Senator Oshiomhole urged the minister to moderate his tone.

Further disagreements arose when Senate Deputy Chief Whip Onyekachi Nwaebonyi protested against attempts by the committee chairman to limit his remarks. Efforts by Senator Ali Ndume to calm the situation instead appeared to intensify the dispute.

The Abuja–Kaduna–Kano road is one of Nigeria’s major highway projects, linking the capital to key commercial centres in the north.