Lack of Infrastructure Maintenance Hindering Nigeria’s Progress, Warns Okonjo-Iweala

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has warned that Nigeria’s poor infrastructure maintenance culture is degrading national assets and slowing down economic growth.

Delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Delta State Economic and Investment Summit in Asaba on Monday, the former Finance Minister emphasized that capital allocation alone cannot drive development without effective project execution and long-term upkeep.

“The fact is that endowments alone do not add value. Budgetary allocations alone do not lead to new roads or good maintenance,” Okonjo-Iweala stated, noting that governments must prioritize maintaining existing infrastructure alongside building new projects.

Speaking under the theme ‘Harnessing Our Strengths, Unlocking Our Potentials,’ she urged policymakers to focus on upgrading critical digital assets and port facilities to drive down operational costs and improve national competitiveness.

The three-day investment summit, organized by the Delta State Government to attract foreign and local capital, brought together business leaders, international delegations from China and Brazil, and key government officials. Vice President Kashim Shettima officially declared the event open on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.