The Federal Government has commenced the rehabilitation of the Bama-Banki Road and the Dikwa-Gamboru-Ngala Road in Borno State as part of efforts to restore critical transport infrastructure, improve security access and revive economic activities across Nigeria’s North-East region….
The Federal Government has commenced the rehabilitation of the Bama-Banki Road and the Dikwa-Gamboru-Ngala Road in Borno State as part of efforts to restore critical transport infrastructure, improve security access and revive economic activities across Nigeria’s North-East region.
The projects were flagged off on Saturday by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu, during a ceremony in Borno State.
According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, on Saturday, July 4, the road projects are designed to reconnect communities affected by years of insurgency, facilitate cross-border trade and support post-conflict recovery.
Speaking at the event, Shettima described the road corridors as strategic national assets that would enhance commerce, agriculture, security operations and regional integration.
READ ALSO: VP Shettima Arrives In Jigawa For 2026 Investment Summit
“Roads are the live wire of our commercial engagements. They determine whether the farmer reaches the market, the trader reaches the customer, the child reaches school, the patient reaches care, and security agencies reach communities in time,” the Vice President said.
He noted that the Tinubu administration had made infrastructure development a key priority because poor road networks increase the cost of doing business, isolate communities and undermine economic productivity.
According to him, rehabilitating roads in the North-East is both an economic necessity and a security intervention.
“Bad roads are also a security risk. A corridor that is difficult for citizens to travel is equally difficult for security personnel to patrol and protect,” Shettima stated.
He said the Bama-Banki Road occupies a strategic position because of its importance to regional trade, while the Dikwa-Gamboru-Ngala Road forms part of efforts to reconnect communities and restore confidence in Borno State.
The Vice President disclosed that the projects would feature reinforced concrete pavement, bridges, drainage systems, safety installations and other supporting infrastructure aimed at ensuring durability and value for public funds.
He assured residents of Bama, Banki, Dikwa, Gamboru-Ngala and neighbouring communities that the Federal Government was committed to completing the projects.
“Promises acquire meaning when citizens can drive on the roads, move their goods, reach their families, and live with greater security,” he said.
Shettima also commended Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for prioritising infrastructure as part of the state’s reconstruction programme, describing the partnership between the Federal Government and the state government as a model for delivering development.
He equally praised the Minister of Works, David Umahi, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, and the Borno State Commissioner for Works and Housing, Adam Bukar Balarabe, for their contributions to the projects.
Earlier, Governor Zulum said the road rehabilitation would reposition Borno as a commercial hub and strengthen trade links with Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.
He described infrastructure as the foundation of socio-economic development and thanked President Tinubu for what he called his commitment to the development, peace and security of the North-East.
The governor also acknowledged support from the Dangote Group, saying the company had donated schools, healthcare facilities, food items worth more than N2 billion to Borno State, as well as N1.5 billion to the National Emergency Management Agency to assist flood victims.
Minister of Works David Umahi disclosed that the two road contracts, originally awarded in 2021 at over N55 billion, had been reviewed due to prevailing economic realities, with the Bama-Banki Road now valued at over N70 billion and the first phase of the Dikwa-Gamboru Road estimated at about N67 billion.
Umahi expressed confidence that the Tinubu administration would complete the projects.
“He is a great thinker and a person who is poised to do the unthinkable. Under his watch, these projects will be actualized,” the minister said.
Also speaking, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, described the projects as a major boost to the region’s economy, noting that the roads would strengthen Nigeria’s connection to the Trans-Saharan trade corridor while contributing to improved security.
Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, whose company is supporting the projects through the Federal Government’s tax credit scheme, said the highways would deepen trade relations between Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
“This is a historic occasion that boosts connectivity in West Africa,” Dangote said.
He added that the Dangote Group had already executed more than 1,000 kilometres of roads valued at over N3 trillion across the country and pledged continued collaboration with the government on infrastructure development.
Meanwhile, the Vice President also attended the wedding fatiha of five sons of his associate, Alhaji Ali Gujja, popularly known as Empire, as well as the wedding of the daughter of another associate, Alhaji Bala Mohammed Bukar, during his visit to Maiduguri.
According to the statement, Shettima wished the newly married couples a happy and successful married life.
