FG Plans to Engage 4,000 Social Media Influencers to Showcase Tinubu Projects

The Federal Government plans to engage 4,000 social media influencers to promote infrastructure projects delivered under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Minister of Works David Umahi disclosed the plan 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.

Umahi said the proposed influencer network would help the government communicate information about its projects 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,” the minister said.

He said Nigerians needed to hear about what the government considers its achievements, adding that social media would be used to communicate the administration’s activities and infrastructure projects to a wider audience.

The minister 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’ association for independently assessing federal infrastructure and reporting its findings.

On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi said 105 kilometres of pavement currently under construction would be completed by November. He also raised concerns about vandalism along the highway, alleging that some individuals were destroying infrastructure and removing safety installations.

The coastal highway has faced scrutiny over issues including its environmental impact assessment, alignment and potential implications for flooding in Lagos. The Federal Government has rejected claims that the project caused flooding, with Umahi saying the highway was designed with drainage infrastructure intended to help evacuate water from surrounding areas.