A joint budget defence session of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Mines and Steel Development on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, turned tense when Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) and the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaib Audu, engaged in a sharp exchange over the persistent underfunding and stalled revival of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant.
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The confrontation occurred during the ministry’s defence of its 2026 budget proposal, where Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan representing the host senatorial district of the plant accused the ministry of failing to prioritise Ajaokuta despite repeated promises by successive administrations.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan: “Ajaokuta has been underfunded for decades while billions are allocated elsewhere. Kogi people are tired of excuses. What concrete steps has your ministry taken in the last two years to revive the plant? Where is the funding roadmap?”
Minister Shuaib Audu: “The ministry inherited a comatose project. We have engaged concessionaires, secured technical partners, and included ₦15 billion in the 2026 proposal for critical rehabilitation. Revival is not magic; it requires time, funding, and security of investment.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan (interrupting): “₦15 billion is a drop in the ocean for a plant that needs over ₦2 trillion to be fully operational. You’re treating Ajaokuta like a side project. Kogi deserves better than press releases and empty timelines.”
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Audu (raising voice): “With all due respect, Senator, you cannot reduce national infrastructure to regional sentiment. We are working with international partners, including Russia and China. Progress is being made, but we cannot throw money into a black hole without viability studies.”
The exchange drew murmurs from lawmakers, with some senators calling for order while others supported the Kogi senator’s push for accountability. The session chairman eventually intervened to restore calm and directed the minister to submit a detailed revival timeline and funding breakdown within two weeks.
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The incident has reignited public and legislative scrutiny on the Ajaokuta project, with many Kogi indigenes and steel sector stakeholders echoing Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s frustration over decades of unfulfilled promises.
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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