The Federal Government has approved eight road projects worth ₦594.49 billion across Nigeria, while Works Minister David Umahi prepares to lead financing talks for a 1,028-kilometre West African highway whose completion depends on securing funds across five countries.
The approvals were announced on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja. Umahi said the projects cover several states, alongside remedial works planned for deteriorated sections of the East-West Road.
The largest contract is the ₦209 billion reconstruction of the 81.1-kilometre Ado-Ekiti-Ijan-Ilumoba-Ikole Road, including a bridge. The council also approved ₦160 billion for the 95-kilometre E2K-Okey-Ampa-Otopa Road in Kogi State.
Other projects include a ₦62 billion road linking Adamawa and Taraba states, with five bridges; an ₦89.2 billion Bichi Ring Road featuring a flyover; and a ₦28.218 billion upgrade of the 17-kilometre Sokoto-Illela Road.
The remaining approvals cover the Amaseri Road in Abia State at ₦20.257 billion, the third phase of the Umuahia-Bende-Afikpo Road at ₦11.33 billion, and the ₦14.486 billion Dikko-Maje link road connecting to the Suleja-Minna route.
Umahi said the Umuahia-Bende-Afikpo project had stalled after the discontinuation of its funding through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s tax-credit scheme. The latest approval is intended to address the outstanding section under federal responsibility.
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Five countries, one financing challenge
Beyond domestic construction, Nigeria is pursuing African Development Bank financing for the proposed Lagos-Abidjan coastal highway. Umahi is expected to chair Friday’s meeting involving road ministers from Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
The proposed corridor is designed to improve movement of goods and people across the five countries, potentially reducing transport barriers and strengthening regional trade. However, the financing arrangements have not been finalised.
The minister put Nigeria’s section at 79 kilometres, running from Tincan Island in Lagos to the Seme border. Ghana accounts for the longest stretch at 576 kilometres, followed by Benin Republic with 128 kilometres, Côte d’Ivoire with 155 kilometres and Togo with 89 kilometres.
The figures supplied for the five sections total 1,027 kilometres, one kilometre short of the stated 1,028-kilometre project length. The discrepancy may reflect rounding or a difference in measurement and requires clarification.
Spending must translate into usable roads
The combined domestic approvals represent a substantial public infrastructure commitment, but contract awards alone do not guarantee timely completion. Funding releases, construction schedules, contractor performance and maintenance will determine whether communities and businesses experience tangible benefits.
The East-West Road interventions also highlight the cost of ageing infrastructure and flood exposure. Umahi said some sections were built below current flood levels, requiring remedial work to improve resilience.
The next test is delivery: whether the approved projects advance on schedule and whether the five governments can secure financing for the regional highway. Until funding terms are settled, the Lagos-Abidjan corridor remains a plan under negotiation rather than a fully financed construction commitment.
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