President Bola Tinubu has approved 27 new road projects worth more than ₦3.9 trillion across 15 states, in what the Federal Government describes as another major push to improve Nigeria's road infrastructure and transport network.
The approvals were announced on Monday by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. According to Umahi, the projects will be executed across Adamawa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Yobe states. The projects cover the construction of new roads, rehabilitation of existing highways, dualisation of major routes and the construction of flyovers aimed at easing traffic and improving connectivity between states.
Largest project: ₦1.8 trillion dual carriageway in Niger State
One of the biggest approvals is the re-award of the 409-kilometre dual carriageway project in Niger State under the Federal Government's tax credit scheme. The project has been awarded to businessman Aliko Dangote at a cost of ₦1.8 trillion.
Other major approvals include ₦276 billion for the dualisation of the Ilorin-Ogbomoso Road; ₦265 billion for the reconstruction of the Iseyin-Eruwa-Agbesi Road linking Oyo and Kwara states; ₦217 billion for the dualisation of the old alignment from Ijaye through the Federal Government College to Ilorin Road with a spur to Akinmorin; and ₦116 billion for the 21-kilometre Abakaliki-Afikpo Road in Ebonyi State.
Additional approvals across multiple states
The council also approved ₦110 billion for the Ogbomoso-Oko-Illupu Road in Oyo and Osun states; ₦104 billion for the rehabilitation of Sections One and Two of the Ilorin-Omorin-Ebe-Kabba-Obajana Road in Kwara and Kogi states; ₦98 billion for the construction of the 30-kilometre Idi-Araba-Ayede-Olodo Road in Oyo State; and ₦92 billion for the rehabilitation of the Baban-Lamba-Sharan Phase Two Road in Plateau State.
The minister also listed several other projects approved by the council, including key road links in the North-Central, South-West, South-East and North-East regions. According to him, "Projects approved by the council further include ₦86 billion each for the reconstruction of the Enugu-Abakaliki Road with a flyover and the Adikpo-Ajayi-Tese-Akpa-Otukpo Road traversing Benue and Cross River states."
Additional approvals include ₦83 billion for the Jimeta-Mayo Belwa Road in Adamawa State; ₦82 billion for the rehabilitation of Igbeti Road in Oyo State; ₦74 billion for the construction of the Igbeti-Soro-Kishi Road in Oyo State; ₦71 billion for the 52-kilometre Dabban-Makina Road in Niger State; and ₦62.99 billion for the Tungo-Karamti Road with five bridges connecting Adamawa and Taraba states.
The council also approved ₦58 billion for the rehabilitation of the Yola-Hong-Mubi Road Phase Two; ₦46 billion for the Amasiri-Okporojo Road; ₦34 billion for the 18-kilometre Ikere-Ekiti-Ijare Road linking Ekiti and Ondo states; ₦26 billion for a new flyover on the ongoing Trans-Sahara Road; ₦24.7 billion for the rehabilitation of the Kabba-Ifaki-Ado Ekiti Road linking Kogi and Ekiti states; and ₦21 billion for the construction of a flyover at Oko-Olowo Junction in Kwara State.
Additional approvals include ₦15.7 billion for the construction of the Pacific Road linking Igbe Laara to Ikorodu in Lagos State; ₦15.5 billion for the 13-kilometre Badeku-Jaiye Road in Oyo State; ₦15.246 billion for Phase Two of the Yola-Fufore-Gurin Road project in Adamawa State, covering an additional 20 kilometres after the completion of the first 17-kilometre phase; and ₦15 billion as augmentation for the 32.2-kilometre Gashua Road project in Yobe State, which was originally awarded in 2022.
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway update
Beyond the new approvals, the Federal Executive Council also endorsed the full business case for the operation and maintenance concession of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Alongside the new ₦3.9 trillion approvals, the ministry confirmed the full completion of the first 118-kilometre section of the vital Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway.
Umahi said the council directed that reconstruction of failed sections of the expressway, particularly along the Ibadan axis, should begin using concrete pavement, which the Federal Government has increasingly adopted on several major highways because of its durability. The minister further disclosed that work has been completed on the first 118-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway. "The first 118 kilometres of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway, valued at N137 billion, has been completed," Umahi said.
Road infrastructure has remained one of the Tinubu administration's priority areas since assuming office in 2023, with the Federal Government pursuing funding through annual budget allocations, public-private partnerships and the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme. Officials say the projects are expected to improve connectivity, reduce travel time and support economic activities across the affected states once completed.
