Nigeria infrastructure funding needs are alarming, with $120bn required to fix roads alone, says TUC President Festus Osifo at Lagos summit

Nigeria infrastructure funding needs have reached a staggering scale, with an estimated $120 billion required to complete the federal road network—nearly four times the country’s annual budget.

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This sobering assessment was delivered by Trade Union Congress (TUC) President-General Festus Osifo during the 2025 South-West TUC Summit held Monday in Lagos.

Speaking to labour leaders, government officials, and private sector representatives, Osifo said the gap between Nigeria’s infrastructure needs and available funding is “alarming,” blaming the failure largely on weak, unimaginative political leadership.

“If constructing all our roads will cost $120bn, and our budget is $30bn, it means we need four times our budget just to fix roads—without paying salaries, funding education, or providing healthcare,” he stated.

Osifo referenced a 2013 study that placed the cost of building all federal roads at $120 billion, a figure he used to illustrate how little progress has been made in over a decade.

According to the TUC president, Nigeria’s infrastructure crisis stems not only from insufficient revenues but also from poor leadership at nearly every level of government.

“Most of our political heads—from governors to local council chairmen—are lazy. Many won’t show up until federal allocations arrive,” he said.

“We must stop relying on oil and start growing revenue through agriculture, solid minerals, and innovation.”

Osifo pointed out that several smaller, less resource-endowed nations now generate more from agriculture than Nigeria earns from crude oil exports.

He called this a national disgrace, given Nigeria’s rich arable land and youthful population.

Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event, Commissioner for Establishments and Training Afolabi Ayantayo agreed that the TUC’s concerns were valid.

He advocated for stronger partnerships between government and organised labour, especially in areas such as skills development, inflation control, and fair wages.

“Our foreign missions must do more to secure export markets for our goods. Lagos is committed to worker welfare, but we also must push productivity,” Ayantayo said.

Themed “Collaborate to Transform: Building Capacity for Regional Excellence and Workers’ Welfare,” the summit brought together voices from across sectors.

Panel discussions tackled key growth enablers like agriculture, emotional intelligence, leadership, communication, and the role of AI in the future of work.

In his closing remarks, Osifo warned that unless leaders embrace bold, proactive approaches, Nigeria risks falling further behind.

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“The $120bn road funding gap isn’t just a number—it’s a mirror of how far behind we are. Only visionary leadership can bridge that divide,” he concluded.