By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved 27 major road projects valued at over N3.9 trillion across 15 states of the federation, in what the Federal Government described as a significant investment in critical infrastructure aimed at improving connectivity, boosting economic activities and accelerating national development.
The approvals, announced by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, cover projects in Adamawa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Yobe States. Umahi also disclosed that the first 118-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway, valued at N137 billion, has been completed, while work on the remaining 164-kilometre stretch is expected to be concluded in November.
The largest approval is the N1.8 trillion re-award of the 409-kilometre dual carriageway project in Niger State under the tax credit scheme to businessman Aliko Dangote.
The Federal Government also approved N276 billion for the dualisation of the Ilorin-Ogbomoso Road and N265 billion for the reconstruction of the Iseyin-Eruwa-Agbesi Road traversing Oyo and Kwara States.
Similarly, approval was granted for the N217 billion dualisation of the old alignment from Ijaye through the Federal Government College to Ilorin Road, with a spur to Akinmorin.
Other projects include N116 billion for the 21-kilometre Abakaliki-Afikpo Road in Ebonyi State and N110 billion for the Ogbomoso-Oko-Illupu Road linking Oyo and Osun States.
The Federal Executive also approved N104 billion for the rehabilitation of Sections One and Two of the Ilorin-Omorin-Ebe-Kabba-Obajana Road in Kwara and Kogi States, as well as N98 billion for the construction of the 30-kilometre Idi-Araba-Ayede-Olodo Road in Oyo State.
Also approved are N92 billion for the rehabilitation of the Baban-Lamba-Sharan Phase Two Road in Plateau State and N86 billion each for the reconstruction of the Enugu-Abakaliki Road with a flyover and the Adikpo-Ajayi-Tese-Akpa-Otukpo Road linking Benue and Cross River States.
In Adamawa State, the President approved N83 billion for the Jimeta-Mayo Belwa Road project, while N82 billion was approved for the rehabilitation of the Igbeti Road in Oyo State.
Further approvals include N74 billion for the construction of the Igbeti-Soro-Kishi Road in Oyo State; N71 billion for the 52-kilometre Dabban-Makina Road in Niger State; and N62.99 billion for the Tungo-Karamti Road, including five bridges connecting Adamawa and Taraba States.
The Federal Government also approved N58 billion for the rehabilitation of Phase Two of the Yola-Hong-Mubi Road and N46 billion for the Amasiri-Okporojo Road project.
In the South-West, N34 billion was approved for the 18-kilometre Ikere-Ekiti-Ijare Road linking Ekiti and Ondo States, while N24.7 billion was earmarked for the rehabilitation of the Kabba-Ifaki-Ado Ekiti Road connecting Kogi and Ekiti States.
The approvals further include N26 billion for a new flyover on the ongoing Trans-Sahara Road and N21 billion for the construction of a flyover bridge at Oko-Olowo Junction in Kwara State.
For Lagos State, President Tinubu approved N15.7 billion for the construction of the Pacific Road linking Igbe Laara to Ikorodu.
Other projects approved include N15.5 billion for the 13-kilometre Badeku-Jaiye Road in Oyo State; N15.246 billion for Phase Two of the Yola-Fufore-Gurin Road project in Adamawa State, covering an additional 20 kilometres following the completion of the initial 17-kilometre phase; and N15 billion as augmentation for the 32.2-kilometre road project in Gashua, Yobe State, originally awarded in 2022.
The Federal Government also approved the Full Business Case for the operation and maintenance concession of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and directed the immediate reconstruction of the failed sections of the Ibadan axis using concrete pavement.
Providing an update on ongoing road infrastructure, Umahi disclosed that the first 118 kilometres of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway, executed at a cost of N137 billion, had been completed, while the remaining 164 kilometres would be delivered by November.
The approvals underscore the Tinubu administration’s continued investment in road infrastructure as part of its broader strategy to improve transportation networks, stimulate economic growth and enhance regional connectivity across the country.
