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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the construction and reconstruction of six major road projects across Nigeria, alongside plans to demolish and replace the ageing Carter Bridge in Lagos.
The development was disclosed on Wednesday by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who outlined the scope of the projects and the government’s plan to accelerate key transport infrastructure nationwide.
Umahi said the projects include the completion of the Suleja–Minna Road, which was originally awarded to Salini Construction Company but later terminated over poor performance.
According to the minister, only 10 kilometres of the route had been completed before the contract was cancelled.
He stated that the government has now approved the completion of the remaining 71 kilometres of the dual carriageway.
One carriageway, he disclosed, has been awarded to China Geo-Engineering Corporation at a cost of N91 billion, while the second carriageway has received clearance from the Bureau of Public Procurement.
Umahi also announced approval for the design and costing of a new Carter Bridge project in Lagos, estimated at N5.6 billion.
According to him, technical evaluations and stakeholder consultations showed that the existing structure can no longer be rehabilitated and must be demolished and replaced.
The government also engaged Advanced Engineering Consultants to carry out detailed design work and cost assessments ahead of the procurement process for construction of the new bridge.
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Another approved project is the review and rescoping of the 132-kilometre Kano–Kongolam Road, a tax credit project initially awarded in 2022.
The road, which links Kano State, Jigawa State, and Katsina State, was originally planned as an asphalt road but has been redesigned as a three-lane concrete carriageway.
The upgraded project will include solar-powered street lighting and closed-circuit television cameras to improve security along the corridor with revised cost estimated at N334 billion.
Umahi further disclosed that the government had approved the reconstruction of the Abuja–Lokoja Road after contracts awarded to two contractors were terminated for underperformance.
The affected 86-kilometre section will now be rebuilt using reinforced concrete and handled by five contractors, including Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, which is already executing other segments of the route and that the project is valued at N146 billion.
Also approved is the reconstruction of the Ibadan–Ife–Ilesa Road, a 103-kilometre dual carriageway estimated to cost N427 billion.
Umahi stressed the project had been awarded by the previous administration but recorded limited progress before the current government reviewed and re-awarded the contract.
In addition, the president approved Phase Two of the Keffi–Nasarawa–Abaji Road Rehabilitation Project, covering 129.3 kilometres at a cost of N203 billion.
The minister believed the rehabilitation would greatly improve connectivity between Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Umahi added that the federal government plans to commission at least four major road projects in each of the country’s six geopolitical zones by 15 May.