The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, on Friday said that the country’s GDP is improving, foreign reserves are increasing, and food prices are coming down, attributing these positive developments to the roads constructed so far.
He made these remarks during a Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja, where he spoke about the state of roads nationwide.
Umahi highlighted key roads such as the Abuja-Kano Road, Port Harcourt Road, East-West Road, and the four legacy roads: Lagos-Calabar, Sokoto, Badagary Super-highway, and the Kebbi section.
He emphasized that tolling these roads has become necessary to ensure their longevity, stressing that maintenance is critical to keeping the roads sustainable.
“The vision of the administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is to create a one-trillion U.S. dollar economy. This goal aims to reclaim our country across all economic sectors and promote local content,” the Minister explained.
He clarified that tolling on the Keffi to Makurdi stretch, covering 251 kilometers in the northeast, is ongoing and not suspended. The construction of Keffi to Akwanga, done under the China Harbor project, has been completed, and tolling is part of the agreement.
“Similar to the four legacy projects, since the two carriageways have been completed, tolling has commenced. The key point is that building roads is not enough. Roads built in the past never lasted up to 50 years, and many began failing as they were being constructed, which presents a major challenge for FEMA and the Ministry of Works,” he added.
Umahi noted that Nigeria has about 35,000 kilometers of roads nationwide, and with the addition of new legacy projects, the total exceeds 38,000 kilometers. He explained that it is difficult for the Nigerian budget alone to fund and complete all these roads, which is why the government is pursuing Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
“The goal is not just to construct roads but also to maintain them. In the first week of June, we will engage stakeholders and appeal for their support in tolling the roads once completed. For example, significant sections of the Abuja-Kano road are completed, but if left untended until the entire stretch is finished, they risk deteriorating. The same applies to the Port Harcourt and East-West roads,” he said.
The Minister stressed that tolling will encourage private sector participation, as is common in many civilized countries, ensuring that roads are properly operated and maintained for the long term.
