The Federal Government is planning to engage 4,000 social media influencers to showcase infrastructure projects delivered under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Minister of Works David Umahi has said.

Umahi disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving a report from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on its inspection of federal road projects across Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna and Sokoto states.

The minister said the proposed influencer network would help the government communicate its achievements directly to Nigerians, particularly young people, ahead of the 2027 general election.

“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’ body for independently inspecting federal projects and assessing their impact.

The minister further disclosed that the 105-kilometre pavement currently under construction on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is expected to be completed by November.

He, however, expressed concern over vandalism along the highway, alleging that 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.

Following flooding in parts of Lagos, some stakeholders called for an independent assessment of whether the highway’s alignment, construction and drainage system contributed to the flooding.

The Federal Government has rejected claims that the coastal highway caused the flooding, with Umahi maintaining that the road was designed to mitigate flooding and that drainage infrastructure was incorporated to evacuate water from surrounding areas.

He urged Nigerians to protect public infrastructure, adding that the government would continue to engage citizens in monitoring its projects.