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By Yusuf Abass
Throughout‑ history, human mobility has remained constant. And with each era, road networks evolved to meet this fundamental need for movement. This makes The Punch’s recent report on Kaduna State’s 36-kilometre road project, linking 66 farming communities, particularly welcome news.
It is a powerful reminder that in a country where agriculture remains both a livelihood and a lifeline, roads are not merely about movement, they are about translating the farmer’s sweat into income. The stories of bad or even non-existent roads have ensured rural communities remain trapped in subsistence or never step into prosperity.
At the centre of this effort is the Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, whose administration totally understands that agriculture cannot thrive in isolation from infrastructure. For decades, governments across the country have spoken glowingly about food security, agribusiness, and rural development, yet failed to invest in the very arteries that connect farms to markets. The post-harvest losses and inflated food prices have been predictable results.
Indeed, it is commendable what Kaduna is doing because the 36km Bagoma–Gagumi road in Birnin Gwari is particularly significant because of where it is located and who it serves. Birnin Gwari has long been known not just for its agricultural potential but also for its struggles with insecurity and underdevelopment. For about a decade ago, places like Birnin Gwari was a hotbed for banditry and kidnapping, paralysing the agro-powerhouse, was also a major concern. This further discouraged farmers, and a widening rural-urban divide. Kaduna’s recent road initiatives suggest a deliberate attempt to break from that cycle. Thankfully, much of Kaduna is safer due to the Kaduna Model, whereby relevant stakeholders – community leaders, religious leaders, trade leaders, group leaders, federal and local security agencies – met and worked their way out of the insecurity situation.
Perhaps what makes these road interventions even more compelling is how it aligns with agricultural value chains. Such roads are designed to link farms directly to markets, aggregation centres, and processing facilities, thereby reducing post-harvest losses and improving farmers’ incomes. In a country where a significant percentage of harvested produce is lost due to poor logistics, a functional rural road can be transformative. A farmer who previously watched tomatoes rot because of inaccessible roads can now transport them in time to markets.
According to the Managing Director of the Kaduna Roads Agency (KADRA), Dr Abdullahi Baba-Ahmed, the project is part of the governor’s broader rural infrastructure development plan.
“The road will link farmers to markets, residents to schools and hospitals, and open up the area in a way that will significantly impact the local economy,” Baba-Ahmed said while inspecting the road project.
“Birnin Gwari is known for its agricultural potential, particularly maize production. With this road in place, farmers will be able to move their produce more efficiently, which will boost economic activities and improve livelihoods.”
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Beyond boosting access to and from farms, roads also have multiplier effects. Roads serve as catalysts within an economic ecosystem. Evidence from similar projects in Kaduna shows the emergence of small businesses, markets, and service points along newly constructed corridors. This is how development spreads. While urban development is undeniably important, neglecting rural areas has proven costly. Agriculture, which contributes significantly to Kaduna’s GDP growth, is rooted in these rural communities. Hence, as places like Birnin-Gwari are more secure now, providing roads is like the icing on the cake. By redirecting focus to rural road networks, the Sani administration is definitely investing where it matters most.
Furthermore, access roads enhance access to healthcare, education, and emergency services. In rural communities, a bad road can mean the difference between life and death in medical emergencies. It can determine whether a child attends school regularly or drops out. Governor Sani’s emphasis on inclusive, people-centred development reflects an understanding that infrastructure must serve human needs in a holistic sense, not just economic metrics.
It is also worth noting that this project is part of a broader infrastructure push across Kaduna State. The administration has reportedly embarked on numerous road projects spanning over 1,000 kilometres, with many already completed or nearing completion. This scale of ambition suggests a coherent policy direction rather than ad hoc interventions. It signals to investors, development partners, and citizens alike that the state is serious about building the physical backbone required for sustained growth.
In February 2026, Governor Sani inaugurated 35km Gadan Gayan–Gwaraji–Kujama road, which cuts across Igabi, Kajuru and Chikun local government areas and includes a 130-metre bridge over the Kaduna River. And in March 2026, the KADRA boss, Dr Baba-Ahmed, disclosed that more than 140 road projects currently underway across the state will be completed as part of ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure, ease movement, and boost economic activities. He said this while unveiling the agency’s second documentary, themed “Roads of Legacy: Governor Uba Sani Reconnects Kaduna.”
“More than 140 road projects spanning about 1,335 kilometres are currently ongoing across Kaduna State, with about 60 per cent already completed,” Baba-Ahmed said in a statement then.
“From Zaria to Kaduna North and into Southern Kaduna, strategic road corridors have been conceived, initiated, executed and completed under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani. These roads are now easing movement, strengthening local commerce and reconnecting communities that once faced difficult access.”
By focusing on roads that directly serve agricultural communities, the Kaduna State government is aligning infrastructure development with economic priorities in a way that many states have failed to do. These thoughtful interventions address real-life bottlenecks in a cost-efficient manner. Indeed, there is a broader lesson here for Nigeria as a whole. The conversation about diversifying the economy away from oil has been ongoing for decades, but diversification cannot happen in a vacuum. It requires deliberate investment in sectors like agriculture, supported by the infrastructure that allows those sectors to flourish. Roads, in this context, are not just complementary but are foundational. Without them, even the most well-intentioned agricultural policies will struggle to deliver results.
Globally, rural connectivity has been a cornerstone of economic transformation. From Southeast Asia to parts of East Africa, investments in rural roads have consistently yielded high returns in terms of poverty reduction and agricultural productivity. Kaduna appears to be tapping into this same logic, adapting it to its local context. Ultimately, the significance of the 36km road linking 66 farming communities lies not just in its length or cost, but the shift in thinking which it represents. It represents a government recognising that the path to prosperity may very well begin on a dusty rural road, where farmers wait not for handouts but for access.
If sustained and replicated, this approach could redefine how states in Nigeria think about infrastructure and agriculture. For now, Kaduna State, under Governor Sani, has offered a compelling example of what is possible when leadership aligns vision with execution. It is an example worth watching and perhaps, worth emulating.
