Fed Govt okays N7tr for road, bridge projects
The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-chaired Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday gave its highest-ever single-tranche infrastructure approvals of N7 trillion for road and bridge projects. In the sweeping package are 10
- FEC orders rebuild of Carter Bridge, Coastal Highway extension, Sokoto-Badagry section
- Umahi lists projects ready for Tinubu’s third anniversary commissioning
The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-chaired Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday gave its highest-ever single-tranche infrastructure approvals of N7 trillion for road and bridge projects.
In the sweeping package are 10 major projects across the six geopolitical zones.
They include N548.98 billion for the demolition and reconstruction of the ageing Carter Bridge in Lagos; key segments of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Expressway.
Works Minister Dave Umahi, who broke the news while briefing State House reporters after yesterday’s Council meeting, said describes the projects as reflection of the administration’s commitment to modernising critical infrastructure and unlocking economic growth.
He identified one of the flagship approvals as a N1.86 trillion extension of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway through Akwa Ibom State - a 165.6-kilometre dual carriageway traversing difficult swamp terrain.
The minister said: “That project is in a very terrible swamp. It involves removing pits of more than 12 metres and reclaiming the ground to about five metres above natural level.”
Umahi explained that the project would be executed on reinforced concrete pavement with solar lighting and drainage over 36 months.
The FEC also approved the fifth section of the Sokoto-Badagry Expressway - a 360-kilometre dual carriageway valued at N1.785 trillion with 30 per cent funding from the Federal Government and 70 per cent through external financing.
The minister, who spoke of the government’s plan to toll the road, defended its cost of N3.2 billion per kilometre, comparing it favourably with the Abuja-Kano Expressway, which he said cost N3.3 billion per kilometre and took eight years to complete on asphalt.
“When we put up the external financing component on the international market, it was oversubscribed by $100 million. Investors even said the project was undervalued,” he added.
Umahi said the decision to demolish and rebuild Carter Bridge followed extensive structural assessments conducted over the years, which revealed severe deterioration of its underwater foundations.
“All the technical experts agreed that we could not redeem Carter Bridge. It has to be completely demolished and rebuilt,” he said.
He explained that the new bridge would be extended from 1.525 kilometres to 1.93 kilometres to address traffic bottlenecks, with improved flyover ramps and a navigational waterway.
The contract was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) after a competitive bidding process, involving major construction firms.
The Council also approved the reconstruction of the Suleja-Minna Road corridor, which had previously been awarded under a tax credit scheme but recorded little progress over five years.
Umahi said the 142-kilometre stretch was split into two lots after the termination of the earlier contract, with Lot 1 awarded to CGC at N91 billion and Lot 2 to CCECC at N93 billion, both to be executed using reinforced concrete pavement.
Also approved was the Mando-Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna State, a 122.8-kilometre project, which was approved at N178.12 billion. The minister described it as a critical infrastructure promise made by President Tinubu during his campaign.
Other approvals include: two sections of the Trans-Sahara Highway, with Section 1 (123 kilometres) from Bonny to the Benue boundary costing N454 billion, and Section 2 (173 kilometres) through Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa to Ogo Bridge valued at N683 billion.
FEC also approved a N151 billion Bodo-Bonny road extension under the NLNG tax credit scheme, featuring an 8.9-kilometre dual carriageway with major flyovers connecting to the Eastwest Road.
In the Southwest, the Council approved the dualisation of the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road (112 kilometres) at N295 billion, alongside the Oshogbo-Akoda-Bunga Road (59.2 kilometres, N101 billion) and the Oshogbo-Iwo-Ibadan Road (90.9 kilometres, N114 billion).
A 125-kilometre dual carriageway linking Yobe and Gombe States was also approved at a cost of N1.25 trillion.
Providing further updates, Umahi said several completed projects are lined up for commissioning ahead of the President’s third anniversary on May 29.
These include: sections of the Abuja-Kaduna Super Highway, the Kaduna-Pambegua Road, and major works on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, as well as completed deck works on the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge.
In the Southsouth, the 37.9-kilometre Bodo-Bonny Road, executed by Julius Berger at N280 billion, is ready for inauguration, alongside a 43-kilometre Port Harcourt road project valued at N83 billion.
Completed projects in the Southeast include sections of the Onitsha-Nnewi Road, the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, and a 23-kilometre bridge project in Enugu State.
Minister of State for Works Bello Goronyo confirmed that completed Bauchi-Gombe Road and sections of the Kano-Jigawa-Bauchi Road are ready for inauguration in the Northeast.
