Student leaders across Northern Nigeria completed an independent road inspection tour on Tuesday, prompting the Federal Government to pledge new pedestrian bridges near university campuses.
Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the main student organisation in Nigeria, visited federal road projects in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, and Sokoto states. The New Daily Prime had reported on 16 September that the student body (NANS) began a federal roads inspection in Kaduna to assess its impact.
The student leaders undertook the journey to assess how these federal highways directly affect citizens, especially young people in school communities.
During a report presentation on Tuesday in Abuja, Minister of Works David Umahi received the findings directly from the student delegation. In response to their observations, the minister promised to address critical safety gaps identified around tertiary institutions during the northern inspection.
Umahi instructed ministry directors present at the meeting to note specific requests from the delegation, including a critical pedestrian bridge requested for student safety.
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He confirmed that the ministry will include pedestrian bridges on roads leading to university campuses and build extra safety measures into upcoming highway projects.
The minister commended the student leaders for taking the initiative to evaluate public projects directly. He praised them for visiting the sites themselves to confirm how road works impact the daily lives and safety of students, describing their actions as a strong example of good leadership for the country.
Apart from campus road safety, the minister provided progress reports on major national road constructions. He stated that construction workers expect to complete the entire 105-kilometre pavement under the current section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway by November.
However, Umahi expressed deep sorrow over widespread vandalism affecting the new coastal highway infrastructure. He told the their leaders that people have been actively destroying public property in Lagos, cutting through installed iron bars, breaking down block walls, and removing protective covers. He added that unauthorised vehicles drive directly over highway camps to cross points, damaging expensive national assets.
To counter public criticism and raise awareness about these infrastructure achievements, the minister revealed a new communication strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He announced plans to assemble a network of 4,000 social media influencers to present government projects directly to young Nigerians.
Umahi requested advice from the student leaders on how to launch and manage the online team, stating that the government must share its progress across various economic sectors directly with the public.
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