From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Federal Government has officially reintroduced toll gates on Nigerian highways, a move that brings an end to the 20-year hiatus since the tolls were disbanded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The government said the reintroduction is part of a wider initiative aimed at revitalising road infrastructure and generating necessary funds for their maintenance and development.
The toll operations commenced on Tuesday, starting with the 227.2-kilometer Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road corridor, signaling the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s transportation policy.
Under the new tolling system, saloon cars will be charged N500, while Sport Utility Vehicles will pay N800. Mini buses and articulated vehicles will face tolls of N1,000 and N1,600, respectively.
This time around, the project will be managed by China Harbor Engineering, who played a pivotal role in securing the loan from China Exim Bank. This marks a departure from the previous arrangement, where the Ministry of Works managed the toll system.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, explained that the revenue generated from the tolls will be allocated to maintaining the roads and servicing the loan, ensuring the sustainability and improvement of Nigeria’s critical infrastructure.
He said, “The effective maintenance and further development of this corridor will continue to play a significant role in the nation’s development and enhancing the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians. It is to be recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria rehabilitated and upgraded the roads through the preferential credit loan from China Exim Bank. The loan agreement provided, among other things, that upon completion, the road will be tolled, operated, and maintained by a private party, and that revenue collected from the operation shall be preferentially used for the loan repayment to the China Exim Bank.
“Consequently, the ministry, under the previous administration in 2023, executed a 25-year toll of wages and maintained concession agreement with Messrs China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company Limited, in partnership with Messrs Katamaran Nigeria Limited, under the Highways Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) Phase I. These are the first among the nine corridors being concessioned under the Highways Development and Management Initiative Phase I to commence operations.
“In the coming months, the Federal Government will continue with the launching and operationalisation of the remaining ones located across the six geopolitical zones of this country. This initiative has opened a new chapter in the history of Nigeria as it gives the Federal Government the opportunity to overcome bad roads.
“Tolling concession is a vital step towards the realisation of our vision for a more efficient, sustainable, and well-maintained road transport system for our beloved country.
Today, we embark on a journey to ensure that our infrastructure is preserved for the benefit of present and future operations.
The collection of tolls will generate much-needed revenue for the maintenance and extension of our renewed road agenda” he said.
Represented by the Minister of State, Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Umahi explained that the tolling has been gazetted as follows: Saloon cars would be tolled for N500; SUVs Jeeps, N800; minibuses, N1000, and articulated vehicles, N1600.
However, the project would be lenient with the disadvantaged population, including commercial light vehicles under the Federal Highways Act, would enjoy a 50 discount, pedal vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles, and other modes of two- or three-wheeled transport used by mainly disadvantaged populations would be offered a 100 per cent discount.
Also speaking, the governor of Nasarawa State, Mohammed Sule who was represented by his deputy, Dr Emmanuel Akabe was concerned about the proper use of the resources from the tolls and the buy-in of the people to the project.
According to him, the multiplier effect of toll gates is huge. Not only that the economy will improve, security will be guaranteed.
“Tollgate is internationally- recognised. It’s not strange to us. But we need to do more education. We need to encourage the people. We need to get the buy-in of the people because the effect of this is multiple security guaranteed, our vehicles will last longer, accidents will be less, economy will develop, economy will come up, shops, sales will increase. The multiplier effect of this can only be imagined. I appeal that the resources that will be generated will be put into proper use” he pleaded.