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In a major transfer to enhance highway infrastructure and alleviate the struggles of commuters, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given the inexperienced gentle for the redesign of the remaining 127 kilometers of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano twin carriageway. The newly proposed redesign will substitute the prevailing asphalt pavement with repeatedly bolstered concrete pavement (CRCP).
A press release by the spokesperson of Ministry of Works, Mohammed A. Ahmed, the great undertaking, which initially included three sections and was awarded to Julius Berger (Nig.) PLC on December 20, 2017, carries an preliminary contract worth of N155.7 billion and was slated for completion inside 36 months. Up to now, solely Part II (Kaduna-Zaria) has been accomplished, whereas Part I stays largely unaddressed, affected by deterioration and ongoing climate challenges.
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In gentle of those delays and the urgent want to boost the roadway’s performance—aligned with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda—the Ministry of Works has crafted a brand new strategy for Part I. The redesign has now been segmented into two phases, with the primary part spanning 38 kilometers, which shall be executed by Dangote Industries Ltd. beneath subcontracting from Hitech Africa Building Ltd.
Nevertheless, the undertaking has confronted challenges together with a sluggish tempo of labor and prolonged inactivity, prompting issues from each the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, and most of the people. The socioeconomic significance of this route, which connects the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with the northern areas, has been a focus of discussions.
In an effort to revive the undertaking, the Federal Government Council permitted a revised contract sum of N740.8 billion. The corporate concerned was given a strict seven-day ultimatum to just accept this new supply; failure to take action by the deadline on November 4, 2024, would result in the termination of their contract, setting the stage for potential new contractors.
Minister Umahi has expressed the federal government’s readiness to proceed with the undertaking utilizing concrete supplies, akin to the sturdiness requirements noticed in different main infrastructure initiatives just like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Freeway. He emphasised President Tinubu’s dedication to resolving the undertaking’s stalemate swiftly to allow work to start with out additional delay.
The Ministry’s actions come as part of broader efforts to enhance Nigeria’s essential transportation infrastructure and drive socioeconomic progress.
