By Peter Dansu President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a massive new infrastructure funding package totaling ₦787.14 billion and $651.7 m...
By Peter Dansu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a massive new infrastructure funding package totaling ₦787.14 billion and $651.7 million for key road projects across 13 states of the federation—including the long-awaited reconstruction of the Ikoga Road in Ogun State.
The approvals were announced following the most recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, where the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, outlined the scope and ambition of the projects, which aim to strengthen road connectivity, boost regional economies, and ease transportation bottlenecks across Nigeria.
Among the approved projects is the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Ikoga and Atan-Alapoti-Ado-Odo roads in Ogun State, budgeted at ₦37 billion. This long-anticipated intervention is expected to significantly improve access in the state and stimulate local economic activity.
In the Southwest, one of the biggest allocations—₦187 billion—will go towards completing the final 96-kilometre stretch of the critical Benin-Shagamu-Ore road, which links several major economic hubs.
The federal government also greenlit the dualization of a 15-kilometre section of the Akure-Ekiti road in Ondo State, with the revised cost now pegged at ₦19.4 billion.
In the Southeast, ₦150 billion has been approved for the redesign of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, a 77-kilometre route set to be co-funded by telecommunications giant MTN, in a move that reflects growing public-private collaboration in national infrastructure development.
In the South-South, ₦30.2 billion was earmarked for the rehabilitation of the Aba-Ikot-Ekpene road, while ₦25 billion was allocated to Ebonyi State for the construction of the Abakaliki-Afikpo Flyover.
In Borno State, ₦21 billion will be used for the first 30-kilometre phase of the Maiduguri-Monguno road, a vital route in the Northeast that is expected to be extended in subsequent phases.
For the Northwest, a significant redesign was approved for the Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina-Kaduna corridor. The original 375-kilometre plan has been rescaled to 82.4 kilometres, but with the inclusion of six major bridges. The ₦105 billion cost remains unchanged due to the expanded engineering complexity.
Also notable is a new $651.7 million project, to be financed by a loan from China Exim Bank, which will support the construction of the 7th Axial Road within the Lekki corridor. This 50-kilometre route—featuring 5 kilometres of bridges—is expected to enhance access to the Lekki Deep Seaport and the Dangote Refinery complex, reinforcing Lagos as Nigeria’s commercial powerhouse.
In Adamawa State, ₦9.3 billion has been set aside for the initial refurbishment of the Cham-Numan road. Meanwhile, Lagos State will also benefit from a ₦176.5 billion shoreline protection project around Ebute-Ero and Outer Marina, a crucial intervention aimed at safeguarding infrastructure and combating erosion.
Minister Umahi emphasized that the road projects blend public-private partnership models with international financing, and are designed to transform Nigeria’s transport network. According to him, the investments will not only improve travel times and road safety but will also stimulate economic growth and regional integration.
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