***NaijaonpointInvestigation Raises Questions Over 27 Payments to Reinforced Global Resources, ₦28.36bn Disbursed Within Six Months on One Road Contract, and ₦15.72bn Paid for a Road With No Publicly Documented Evidence of Work
ABUJA, NIGERIA — A Naijaonpointinvestigation has raised serious questions about the Federal Ministry of Works’ payment of ₦60 billion to Reinforced Global Resources Ltd, a construction firm whose managing director, Joshua Okoro, openly campaigned for David Umahi during his 2023 Ebonyi South senatorial bid.
Documents reviewed by Naijaonpointindicate that the company received 27 payments from the ministry, with approximately ₦54 billion paid in 2024 alone, during Umahi’s first full year as Minister of Works.
The payments, according to the investigation, were linked to road projects in Ebonyi, Cross River and Enugu states, raising questions about procurement transparency, contract supervision and possible conflicts of interest.
The findings also connect the contractor to a separate transaction involving Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Ltd, a company founded and previously chaired by Umahi before he entered politics in 2011.
Corporate records cited in the investigation identify Reinforced Global Resources Ltd as a company incorporated on November 21, 2011, with registration number RC 995673.
Its shareholding structure lists Okoro with 40 per cent, while Akpa Ejimkonye and Akpa Hannah each hold 30 per cent.
The investigation raises questions about whether the relationship between the company’s managing director and the minister was disclosed or appropriately considered during the award and execution of contracts.
Section 16(6)(e) of the Public Procurement Act 2007, cited in the report, concerns disclosure of relationships that could affect procurement integrity. Naijaonpointsaid it found no publicly available disclosure relating to the alleged connection.
However, the absence of a publicly available disclosure does not, on its own, establish that no disclosure was made to the relevant authorities or that any procurement law was violated.
### ₦28.36bn Paid Within Six Months
One of the major projects under scrutiny is the Enugu–Abakaliki–Ogoja dualisation contract, which the investigation puts at ₦54.6 billion over 24 months.
According to payment records reviewed by TrackNews, the ministry made the following disbursements in 2024:
* May 23, 2024: ₦2.24 billion for engineering design.
* August 18, 2024: Two payments of ₦5.07 billion each.
* September 17, 2024: ₦2.51 billion.
* November 8, 2024: Two payments of ₦6.73 billion each.
The listed payments total ₦28.35 billion when rounded, broadly consistent with the investigation’s reported figure of ₦28.36 billion.
The speed and scale of the disbursements raise questions about the contractual milestones, certification of work and approvals that supported the payments.
Naijaonpointis seeking clarification on the basis for the payments, the level of work completed at the time and the safeguards used to ensure value for public money.
### ₦2.24bn Design Fee Raises Procurement Questions
Another issue concerns the ₦2.24 billion payment made on May 23, 2024, reportedly for engineering design on the same road project being executed by Reinforced Global Resources.
The arrangement raises questions about the separation of design and construction responsibilities, the procurement method used and whether the ministry obtained the necessary technical and financial safeguards.
Naijaonpointsaid the ministry had not publicly explained why the design work and execution responsibilities were structured in this manner.
The payment alone, however, does not establish a procurement violation. A determination would require the relevant contract documents, scope of services, approvals and applicable procurement rules.
### ₦15.72bn Road Contract: Where Is the Evidence of Work?
The rehabilitation of the Ugep–Abaomoge–Opkosi Road is another major focus of the investigation.
Naijaonpointreported that ₦15.72 billion was paid across four transactions between 2024 and 2026 in connection with the project.
Despite the substantial disbursement, the investigation said it could not find publicly available inspection reports, project photographs, community accounts or other independent evidence demonstrating the extent of work completed.
It also reported that the road was not featured during the June 2026 Presidential Media Tour of projects in Ebonyi State.
The absence of publicly available evidence raises important questions about the project’s status, implementation timeline and verification of work before payments were approved.
Naijaonpointis calling for the ministry to publish the contract details, payment schedule, inspection reports, certificates of work completed and the current physical status of the road.
The ministry’s response is necessary to determine whether the project has been executed, remains ongoing or requires further investigation.
### Five Other Projects, ₦3.39bn in Payments
The investigation also identified five smaller projects with payments totalling approximately ₦3.39 billion.
They include:
* Mpu–Uburu Road: ₦391,333,257.90.
* Amasiri–Nguazu–Edda–Ohafia Road: ₦1,043,835,082.
* Inkerefi–Ohazara Road: ₦988,256,500.
* Culverts and drains at flood-prone areas of David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital: ₦604,028,343.80.
* Emergency double-cell box culvert on the Enugu–Port Harcourt corridor: ₦359,377,014.10.
Naijaonpointsaid it found no readily accessible public documentation sufficient to establish the implementation status of these projects.
The lack of readily available records does not necessarily mean the projects were not executed. However, given the amounts involved, the ministry should provide verifiable information on their locations, contractors, completion status and inspection history.
Public disclosure would allow taxpayers and independent investigators to determine whether the payments correspond with work delivered.
### EFCC Case Links Contractor’s Joint Venture to Umahi’s Former Company
The investigation takes another turn with a separate case involving Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Ltd, the company Umahi founded and chaired before leaving it for politics in 2011.
According to details of an EFCC prosecution cited by TrackNews, Egwuche Chinyere Gladys, the company’s Group Managing Director, was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Enugu in July 2026 on a 12-count money-laundering charge.
The charges reportedly concern 12 cash payments of $50,000 each, totalling $600,000, made between March 13 and April 11, 2023.
The prosecution alleges that the money represented part-payment for a granite-crushing line sold to a joint venture involving Patan Nigeria Ltd and Reinforced Global Resources Ltd.
Gladys reportedly pleaded not guilty, with the trial scheduled for November 11, 2026.
These are allegations before a court, not established findings of guilt.
The case nevertheless raises questions about the transaction involving the minister’s former company and a joint venture that included the contractor receiving substantial payments from the ministry he leads.
The prosecution’s allegations do not, by themselves, establish that Umahi participated in or had knowledge of the transaction.
### Questions Over Cash Transactions
The reported $600,000 cash transaction has also drawn attention to Nigeria’s anti-money-laundering framework.
Naijaonpointcited the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, which imposes restrictions on cash payments and transactions.
The precise application of the law to the alleged transaction, including the relevant parties, circumstances and statutory provisions, remains a matter for the court to determine.
The EFCC case provides a separate legal context for examining the commercial relationship between the companies, but it should not be treated as proof of wrongdoing in the ministry’s road contracts.
### Permanent Secretary’s Role Also Under Scrutiny
Engr. Rafiu Olarinre Adeladan served as Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works during the payment period identified in the investigation and retired on August 27, 2026.
As the ministry’s senior administrative official and accounting officer during the relevant period, his role raises questions about the documentation, approvals and controls supporting the disbursements.
Naijaonpointis seeking clarification on the due diligence conducted before payments were released, the certification of completed work and the records maintained to demonstrate compliance with procurement and financial regulations.
The available information does not establish that Adeladan personally authorised every payment or committed any offence.
Calls for Transparency and Independent Investigation
The central issue raised by the investigation is whether the Federal Ministry of Works can account fully for the ₦60 billion reportedly paid to Reinforced Global Resources Ltd.
The reported payments, the managing director’s political support for Umahi, the design fee on a project reportedly executed by the same contractor, and the absence of readily accessible evidence of work on some projects warrant transparent explanations.
Naijaonpointis calling on the Federal Ministry of Works to publish the relevant contracts, procurement records, payment schedules, project inspection reports and certificates of completion or progress.
The appropriate oversight and anti-corruption authorities should independently examine any credible evidence of procurement irregularities, conflicts of interest, unsupported payments or breaches of financial regulations.
The questions requiring answers are straightforward: Were the contracts awarded in accordance with the law? Was every payment supported by verified work or approved deliverables? Were potential conflicts of interest properly disclosed and managed? And can the ministry demonstrate that Nigerians received value for the billions of naira spent?
Until the relevant documents and responses are made public, the issues raised by the Naijaonpointinvestigation remain matters requiring explanation and independent verification.
Naijaonpointwill publish any substantive response from David Umahi, the Federal Ministry of Works, Reinforced Global Resources Ltd, Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Ltd, or other parties named in this report.