The Federal Government has approved ₦631.3 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of nine major road projects across Nigeria as part of efforts to improve road infrastructure and facilitate transportation.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Umahi said the projects were distributed across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and were intended to improve connectivity, support commercial activities and ease the movement of people and goods.
According to the minister, the road projects are expected to strengthen links between important commercial centres and improve access to different parts of the country.
He explained that the approvals formed part of the administration’s efforts to address challenges associated with Nigeria’s road infrastructure, including deteriorating road conditions that have affected transportation and economic activities.
The construction and rehabilitation projects are expected to improve road conditions along the selected routes, although the minister’s briefing, as provided, did not specify the locations, individual contract costs or implementation timelines for the nine projects.
Umahi also linked the approvals to the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the country’s road network and addressing infrastructure deficits inherited from previous administrations.
He said, “FEC approves ₦631.3bn for nine road projects nationwide.
“Below is the full list of the nine roads.
“N209bn – Reconstruction of 81.1km Ado–Ilawe–Ilumaba–Ikole Road in Ekiti, including a bridge.
“N167bn – Reconstruction of 95km Etuke–Okeni–Ankpa–Otopa Road in Kogi
“N89.2bn – Construction of 47km Bichi Ring Road with flyover in Kano
“N62bn – Tungo–Karamti Road linking Adamawa and Taraba, with 5 bridges
“ Remedial works on deteriorated sections of the East–West Road
“N28.218bn – Rehabilitation of 17km Sokoto–Illela Road, Route A1
“N20.257bn – 18km road linking Asaba to Port Harcourt–Enugu Expressway
“N11.33bn – Road project previously undertaken by Abia Government under NNPC tax-credit scheme
“N14.486bn – Dikko–Maje link road connecting to Suleja–Minna Road in Niger State.”
Road infrastructure remains important to Nigeria’s economy because businesses depend on reliable transport networks to move agricultural produce, industrial goods and other commodities between production centres and markets.
Poor road conditions can increase travel time, vehicle maintenance costs and the cost of transporting goods, with possible consequences for businesses and consumers.
The latest approval adds nine projects to the Federal Government’s road development programme. The pace of implementation, the quality of construction and the timely release of funds will be important factors in determining the benefits delivered to road users.
