Jane Salihu
The Federal Government has approved the rescoping and reconstruction of the 401-kilometre Lokoja-Benin-Warri road corridor, with the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosing that the project is already ongoing as part of the administration’s broader intervention in critical road infrastructure.
Umahi disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while receiving the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), led by its President, Comrade Akinteye Afeez, on a courtesy visit during which the minister was conferred with the association’s patronship.
The minister said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently approved the rescoping of the Lokoja-Benin-Warri route, which covers 401 kilometres and translates to 802 kilometres when calculated as a dual carriageway.
The development is particularly significant for Kogi State, as the Lokoja corridor serves as a major link between the North-Central region and the South, facilitating the movement of people, agricultural produce, goods and commercial activities.
Umahi said the project formed part of several strategic road interventions being pursued by the Federal Government to improve connectivity and reduce the infrastructure deficit across the country.
He also disclosed that the remaining stretch of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway, valued at N752 billion, is targeted for completion by November, with more than 80 per cent of the project cost already paid.
According to him, about 164 kilometres remain on the Abuja-Kano corridor, comprising 82 kilometres in each direction, while 118 kilometres has already been constructed using concrete pavement within 30 months.
Umahi described the concrete construction milestone as unprecedented in the country’s road development history, adding that solar-powered streetlights would be installed at 30-metre intervals along the route.
He further listed the Sokoto-Zamfara-Zaria road, Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the expanded North-East legacy project among major federal road projects currently receiving attention.
The minister said the North-East project had been expanded to run through Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Biu, Yobe and Maiduguri, creating another major transportation corridor across the region.
He also disclosed that the ongoing projects were generating employment opportunities, with construction sites across the country engaging thousands of Nigerians.
Umahi urged Nigerian students to take a more informed position on national issues, challenging them to verify government records and assess policies based on measurable results rather than social media narratives.
Earlier, the NANS President, Akinteye Afeez, commended Umahi for what he described as visible progress in federal road infrastructure under his leadership.
Afeez said road infrastructure directly affects students, particularly through transportation costs, access to educational institutions and mobility for examinations, conferences, internships and other academic activities.
He announced that NANS would undertake a nationwide tour of selected Federal Government road projects completed and rehabilitated under Umahi to enable students inspect the projects firsthand and communicate their impact to Nigerians.
The student body also conferred patronship on Umahi in recognition of his contributions to infrastructure development and public service, while appealing for support to strengthen NANS’ mobility and enable it to effectively coordinate its activities across the country.
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