Important Road Projects Included in the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) Have Been Approved by the Federal Executive Council.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved several significant road projects as of Monday. An allocation of N470.9 billion has been designated for the access road in Delta State, while N148 billion is set aside for the access road leading to the Second Niger Bridge in Anambra State. For the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Phase 2, Section 1), an approval of N195 billion has been granted under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF). The reconstruction of three segments of the Lokoja-Benin road will be carried out entirely with concrete, with a total budget of N305 billion. This includes N64 billion for the section from Obajana to Benin (Section I), N110 billion for the Auchi to Edo segment (Section II), and N131 billion for the area surrounding Benin Airport (Section III). A contract worth N3.571 billion has been approved for a thorough structural assessment of the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge in Lagos. Additionally, the FEC has sanctioned the Ado-Ekiti–Igede Road Project with a budget of N5.4 billion, along with a N22 billion contract for the Onitsha-Owerri expressway. The Wusasa-Jos route in Kaduna State has been allocated N18 billion. For a joint road project in Abia and Enugu states, a total of N12.75 billion has been allocated to address critical areas within budgetary limits. Furthermore, the FEC has approved N252 billion for the Abuja-Kano highway, which has been divided into two main segments. During a press briefing after the FEC meeting in Abuja, David Umahi, the Minister of Works, indicated that the first section extends from the boundary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Niger State, including an additional 5.71 kilometers. The second section covers areas within Kano State, featuring a 17-kilometer extension. Umahi emphasized that most forthcoming infrastructure projects, including the Lokoja-Benin and Abuja-Kano highways, will employ reinforced concrete pavement instead of traditional asphalt. He stated that concrete roads offer greater durability and are more cost-effective over time. In fact, the expenses associated with these concrete projects are considerably lower than those of previous asphalt-based contracts that were declined by certain contractors. "We will not tolerate excuses, such as high temperatures, for road failures. The sections that have been affected are being reconstructed with appropriate supervision."