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President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday declared that the completion of Phase I of the Kuje-Gwagwalada dual carriageway has ended “decades” of hardship, insecurity and economic loss for residents and commuters along the corridor.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the commissioning of the 7-kilometre section in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Tinubu said the upgraded road will transform life in Kuje, Gwagwalada, Kwali and neighbouring communities.
“For decades, this road was a death trap. Traders from Kuje, Gwagwalada, Kwali, and beyond lost time, goods and, sometimes, lives while plying this road. Criminals thrived in the darkness. Students wasted hours in traffic. Farmers could not get their produce to market on time. But that story ends today,” the president said.
Tinubu described the corridor — equipped with solar-powered streetlights, pedestrian walkways and modern drainage — as more than physical infrastructure. “This 7-kilometre dual carriageway with solar-powered streetlights, pedestrian walkways and proper drainage is more than a road. It is security. It is commerce. It is dignity,” he said. “It is the economic corridor linking Abuja to three area councils and an opening and exit route to Southern Nigeria.”
The president said the project demonstrates his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and signals a shift in development focus beyond Abuja’s city centre. “My people of Kuje, Gwagwalada, Kwali and all the area councils and satellite towns, hear me clearly: this government sees you. You are not forgotten,” Tinubu said, pledging continued investment in roads, water, schools and hospitals for satellite communities.
He urged residents to protect the investment, stressing civic responsibilities. “Do not build on the median. Do not vandalise the solar lights. Pay your taxes and ground rents. When government works, and citizens cooperate, development moves faster,” he said.
The president also praised the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, for prioritising development in underserved parts of the territory. “I gave you an instruction when I appointed you: make Abuja work for all Nigerians, not just for those in Maitama and Asokoro. You have taken Renewed Hope to the grassroots… You heard the cries of satellite communities and responded. That is leadership. Well done, Honourable Minister,” Tinubu said.
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Earlier, Wike explained that the road project responded directly to demands from residents, traditional rulers and stakeholders across the FCT’s six area councils, with insecurity and poor roads recurring as key concerns.
He recounted inspecting the corridor before approving the project. “As we travelled, it took us almost two hours. I asked where we were heading, and they said Kuje. I said, ‘Are we in America?’ This is within the FCT, and it took us almost two hours. The road was terrible. In fact, saying it was bad is an understatement; there was practically no road,” he said.
He said the Federal Executive Council approved the project in early 2025 and awarded it to Gilmor Engineering Nigeria Limited. Wike added that Phase I was completed on schedule and that the contractor has pledged to deliver Phase II by December 2026.
“What this means is that the people of Gwagwalada and Kuje can now interact more easily, businesses can thrive, and farmers can move their produce to markets without stress. That is governance. That is bringing hope to the people,” Wike said.
Minister of State for FCT Dr Mariya Mahmoud described the project as a visible demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda and commended Wike’s leadership in delivering critical FCT infrastructure.
Coordinator of the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD), Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, said the contract was awarded on February 28, 2025, and covers a 7-kilometre dual carriageway with two lanes each way, a three-span bridge, drainage systems and solar-powered streetlights. He said the upgrade will improve access for farming communities, reduce travel time and stimulate economic activity in Kuje, Gwagwalada and neighbouring towns.
Zulkiflu added that Phase II — the remaining six kilometres of the corridor — is expected to be completed by December 2026, which will fully upgrade the Kuje-Gwagwalada road.
