Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, clarified that the contract for the remaining sector of Section 2 of the Abuja-Kaduna highway was awarded to Infiouest International Limited, not Infoquest Nigeria Limited as reported by Daily Trust.
Umahi explained that while the two company names sound similar, Infiouest is a French word, where “O” is pronounced like “Q,” whereas “Infoquest” is pronounced with a “Q” in English.
In response to the confusion, Umahi also mentioned discrepancies regarding Infoquest Nigeria Limited’s registration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). A quick search on the FIRS portal showed the company had recently created an account, but it had not paid taxes or received tax clearance at that time. A source familiar with the FIRS process noted that tax clearance is a legal requirement for any company seeking a government contract.
Additionally, a search on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed that Infiouest International Limited was incorporated in 2001 and is listed as “corporately active.” Despite only recently filing tax returns in 2022 and 2023, the company is compliant with regulations according to the minister.
The ministry described the Daily Trust report as “mischievous” and part of an orchestrated effort to undermine the ministry’s work. The minister insisted that Infiouest is a competent and capable company, with previous experience in large projects, and that the ongoing campaign against the ministry was part of a backlash from corruption-related forces. He called for a public apology from the media outlet for publishing what he described as false information.