The Federal Government is planning to mobilise about 4,000 social media influencers to showcase infrastructure projects and communicate the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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

Umahi said the proposed influencer network would help the government communicate directly with Nigerians, particularly young people who increasingly rely on social media for information.

The minister said the government needed to strengthen its presence in the digital space and ensure that information about ongoing and completed infrastructure projects reached a wider audience.

We have to fight this social media war. So, we have to launch 4,000 social media influencers to tell our stories,” Umahi said.

He also expressed support for greater public communication about the administration’s infrastructure programmes, saying the government needed to make Nigerians aware of projects being executed across different parts of the country.

Umahi spoke after receiving the report of an inspection carried out by NANS on federal road projects in four northern states.

The students’ inspection was aimed at assessing the condition and impact of selected federal infrastructure projects and identifying areas requiring additional government intervention.

Among the concerns raised by the students were safety challenges around tertiary institutions located along major highways.

Umahi said the Federal Government would consider requests for pedestrian bridges and other safety measures around university campuses and other institutions where necessary.

The minister commended the students for independently visiting project sites and assessing developments rather than relying solely on information circulating on social media.

Umahi also provided an update on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying the 105-kilometre pavement currently under construction is expected to be completed by November 2026.

He, however, expressed concern over vandalism along the route, including the destruction of infrastructure and removal of safety installations.

The minister urged Nigerians to protect public infrastructure and assist authorities by reporting activities capable of undermining government projects.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has also been the subject of public debate over its alignment, environmental assessment and concerns surrounding flooding in Lagos. The Federal Government has rejected claims that the highway caused flooding, while Umahi has maintained that drainage infrastructure was incorporated into the project.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the planned influencer network is expected to form part of the government’s broader communication strategy for presenting its infrastructure projects and other activities to the public.

However, details on how the 4,000 influencers will be selected, whether they will receive payment, and when the programme will formally commence had not been announced as of the minister’s statement.