Benin City stormwater project faces controversy over funding and completion

The Benin City Stormwater Project, initiated in 2011 under Governor Adams Oshiomhole to mitigate perennial flooding, remains a subject of significant political controversy. The project was intended to address infrastructure needs following a request from the late Oba Erediauwa.

Estimates for the project's cost range between N30 billion and N35 billion, funded through state revenues and capital market loans via state bonds. While over 30 percent of the work was completed—including a 13-foot-deep channel along New Lagos Road—the project has stalled.

Successor Governor Godwin Obaseki discontinued the initiative, labeling it a fraud and a contract designed to defraud the people of Edo State. This halt is attributed to a political feud between the current and former administrations.