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Says 348km of roads completed in North-west, 4,083km ongoing nationwide
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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Kaduna
Minister of Works Dave Umahi has declared the completion of an 81-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway in 13 months, describing it as the fastest road project completion in Nigeria’s history.
Umahi said the achievement demonstrated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development, contrasting it with the previous administration’s eight-year effort to complete 240 kilometres of the highway using asphalt pavement.
The minister spoke on Saturday during the commissioning of the 81-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna highway by Tinubu as part of activities marking the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna.
He said the section, which forms part of the 118-kilometre first lot of the project, was completed in 13 months after the Federal Government took over the work and changed the construction method to concrete pavement.
“Today, you are going to be commissioning 81 kilometres out of this 118. But let me place it on record that this project was completed in just 13 months. But 240 kilometres took eight years to be completed. This is the fastest project completion in the history of this country,” Umahi said.
The minister disclosed that the first lot of the project was valued at ₦252 billion, adding that more than 95 per cent of the contract sum had been paid.
He said the second section, covering 164 kilometres and valued at ₦505 billion, was also being constructed with reinforced concrete pavement, with more than 144 kilometres completed.
According to him, the remaining 20 kilometres would be completed by the end of November.
Umahi further disclosed that Tinubu had directed that the entire 375-kilometre Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway be illuminated with solar-powered streetlights.
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He said he personally inspected the road at night on Friday and was impressed by the progress of the lighting project.
The minister praised Tinubu for expanding the scope of the highway project to include additional sections around the Chere-Zero area towards Kogi State and the Aminu Kano International Airport, as well as completing a section in Kano State.
Umahi also highlighted the Federal Government’s broader road infrastructure programme in the North-west, saying 348 kilometres of roads had been completed in the zone out of 1,016 kilometres completed nationwide.
He said another 1,800 kilometres of roads in the North-west had been partially completed, while 4,083 kilometres of road projects were ongoing across the region as part of a nationwide portfolio of about 17,000 kilometres.
On the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the minister said work was progressing on the 1,068-kilometre corridor, with 948 kilometres ongoing in Kebbi State and 240 kilometres in Sokoto State, where he put progress at 60 per cent.
Umahi said the scale of ongoing infrastructure projects meant the administration would require more time to complete its programme, expressing confidence that the projects would be delivered if Tinubu remained in office beyond 2027.
He described the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway as one of the administration’s major infrastructure projects and urged the President to sustain the momentum.
The minister also commended Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for his persistent follow-up on the project and former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari for drawing the President’s attention to its progress.
Tinubu subsequently unveiled the project plaque to formally commission the completed section of the highway.
The commissioning formed part of the APC’s campaign activities in Kaduna, where party leaders and governors from the North-west gathered to demonstrate support for Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
