From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Federal Government has flagged off the reconstruction of the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Expressway, a vital road corridor in the southern part of the country.
The event, which took place last Sunday, was performed by the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his address, the Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi, disclosed the project’s significance in enhancing transportation, economic growth, and regional integration. He highlighted the Federal Government’s commitment to improving road infrastructure as a means of boosting national development and integration, noting that the partnership driving the project would enhance the safety and efficiency of travel while unlocking the economic potential of the region.
“This project will generate significant economic benefits, including job creation and an improved standard of living for the people. I urge all stakeholders to work, collaboratively, to ensure the successful and timely completion of this critical infrastructure.
“The Benin–Asaba Expressway Project, is more than a road. It is an ambitious dual carriage, solar-lit that is to be fully funded by the private sector under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement,” the minister said.
The minister expressed deep appreciation to Tinubu for his leadership and unwavering support for infrastructure development in the region and the nation at large. He also commended the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Chief Wale Edun, and the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) for modifying an alternative funding option, outside the national budget, that would guarantee the timely execution of federal road projects. He officially handed over the engineering design and instruments of authority for the contract to the concessionaire, Africa Plus Partners (Nigeria) Limited, while canvassing for support in the 2027 presidential polls.
In a statement, the flag-off of the Benin-Asaba Expressway is described as a giant leap in Nigeria’s journey towards bequeathing a modern, efficient, and well-maintained road infrastructure to the citizenry.
The Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) is a strategic infrastructure development programme of the Federal Ministry of Works designed to encourage private sector participation in the development, rehabilitation, and maintenance of federal highways across the country. Through this initiative, the government aims to enhance operational efficiency, accountability, and financial sustainability, ensuring that all stakeholders—the government, private investors, and road users—benefit from improved road networks.
As a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, HDMI is structured to attract long-term sustainable investments for the expansion, modernisation, and effective utilisation of Nigeria’s road infrastructure. It facilitates the design, construction, operation, management, and maintenance of federal highways, ensuring that all infrastructure and assets within the designated rights of way are efficiently developed and maintained, leveraging private sector expertise and funding. It further seeks to enhance road quality, improve connectivity, boost economic activities, and ultimately create a safer and more reliable road transportation network for Nigerians and other users.
The Benin-Asaba alignment, a 125-kilometre dual carriageway beginning from AIF Roundabout in Benin City, Edo State, and terminating at Summit Junction in Asaba, Delta State, serves as a major link between the South-East, the South-South, and some parts of the South-West of Nigeria. It is a vital artery connecting vibrant economic regions of the country.
The total project cost required for the rehabilitation and value-added concession of the expressway will be funded by the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited – Africa Plus Partners (Nigeria) Limited Consortium (APPNLC) with a 30-month completion period.