*President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assures Nigerians of his administration’s commitment to channelling more funds into capital projects, and building enduring infrastructure nationwide

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

In realising the goal of sustainable infrastructure development in the economy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration will commit more funds to execution of capital projects across the country.

Tinubu urged State Governors to collaborate with the Federal Government to align building approvals in this regard.

The President stated this Thursday, June 5, 2025, while commissioning the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Plant, in Lagos.

He also said proper approval alignment between subnational and Federal Government would facilitate the construction of major roads and bridges across the country.

Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, in a statement, quoted President Tinubu to have said: “I have directed the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and the Surveyor General of the federation to work more closely with the governors.”

The Nigerian leader further noted that aligning state approvals with the Federal Government would help to reduce the burden of compensation and delays in actualising people-oriented projects.

The President stated: “Please, my dear governors, let’s work together.

“Don’t give planning approvals without collaboration with the Surveyor General and the Ministry of Works.

“I am appealing to you to realise the same development goal.”

Tinubu also said: “Let me emphasise the ban by the Federal Government of Nigeria on any dredging within a 10km radius of all our Bridges nationwide.

“I appeal to all governors, relevant agencies, and security agencies to implement this ban immediately.”

It is equally noted that the inauguration of the project came five days after the President Tinubu had commissioned Phase 1 of Section I of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, in Lagos.

The statement indicated Tinubu applauded the Federal Ministry of Works, Messrs Hitech Construction Company Limited, Messrs Dangote Industries Limited, BUA and all contractors involved in the country’s road development.

He said his administration is committed to building enduring infrastructure nationwide.

The Presidential aide stated Tinubu, however, dismissed critics of the government’s legacy projects for being ignorant about how the administration awarded the legacy roads to contractors.

Tinubu explained: “It is necessary to note that the Federal Executive Council approved our Legacy Projects to be procured, awarded and constructed in sections.

“The completed 30 km segment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is part of the 47.7 km, six-lane Section I contract, not a wholesale 750 km contract, as some have suggested.

“No contractor has been awarded the entire corridor.”

He stated: “Our approach has been systematic, transparent, and section-based.

“The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway envisioned 47 years ago under the Shagari administration, is another legacy project we have revived.

“This corridor – spanning Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos -holds immense potential for agriculture, trade, and industrialisation.”

The President further said: “It connects over 58 dams, vast arable farmlands, and trade routes to our West African neighbours and offers great promise for windmill energy generation. Construction is well underway.

“In Kebbi, we have completed over 10 km of the 258 km three-lane carriageway, and today we flag off the second carriageway.

“This section is the longest in all our Legacy Projects.”

He equally revealed that “in Sokoto, work has begun on the 120 km 2single-carriageway by three lanes from Illela.

“I understand that over 10km of this project is already completed.

“Today, we shall be flagging off the second carriageway of 120km with three lanes.”

Tinubu noted: “Work is also at an advanced stage in this section.

“More sections are being designed for procurement and award within the whole length of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.

“On my way here, I witnessed significant progress at Section II of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, with over 10 km of the 55 km stretch already completed.”

The President explained: “I am also pleased to report ongoing works in the Cross River and Akwa Ibom sections and have directed that more segments be designed and procured.

“The Trans-Sahara Trade Route, another visionary project, is advancing steadily.

“It will connect Calabar to Abuja via Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa.”

The statement noted President Tinubu said he had directed accelerated design on the 4th Legacy Project of the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi and Gombe corridor to enable procurement to start.

He said: “Let me assure you that with God on our side, we shall complete these projects and deploy them for the economic benefit of our nation.”

Other projects commissioned by the President include Yakasai to Zalli Road, Kano State (CCECC), Shendam Bridge, Plateau State (Triacta), Kwanar-Hadejia Section II (82km), Kano/Jigawa States (CCECC), Jimeta Bridge, Adamawa State (Triacta), Ilobu-Erinle Road, Kwara/Osun States (IAC) and Cham-Numan Bridge, Adamawa State (CGC).

President Tinubu flagged off the following projects for construction: Section I Phase IB-120km of Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway in Sokoto State; construction of Section II Phase 2 B-258 km of Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway in Kebbi State; construction of Lagos鈥揅alabar Coastal Highway (Section II)-55km in Lagos to Ogun State Border; rehabilitation of Zaria-Hunkuyi to Daya Road (Sections I, II & III) 152.67km in Kaduna/Kano States and reconstruction of Dikwa 鈥� Gamboru – Ngala Road – 49.55km in Borno State.

Also flagged off was the completion of the dualisation of the Kano 鈥� Maiduguri Road linking Kano – Jigawa – Bauchi – Yobe and Borno States; 100.95km, construction of Maiduguri Ring Road 鈥� 108km, construction of Kano Northern Bypass Road in Kano State, 鈥� 74km; construction of 7th Axial Road at Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lagos State to Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State鈥� 25km by 6-lane and completion of rehabilitation of Lokoja 鈥� Benin road on rigid pavement.

Other roads are the dualisation of Oyo鈥擮gbomoso Road in Oyo State, 104km; the dualisation of Kano鈥擠aura鈥擪ongolam in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina States, 264km 鈥揃UA Tax Credit; and the reconstruction of Bama鈥揃anki Road in Borno State, 49.15 km Dangote Tax Credit.

Presidential recognition for 4 鈥榳ise men’ of Nigeria’s private sector

President Tinubu as well took the opportunity to thank Nigerians he described as “four wise men of the private sector”.

These are Jim Ovia, Femi Otedola, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Aliko Dangote, for contributing to Nigeria’s economy.

He also commended the Minister of Works, Roland and Gilbert Chagoury, and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

The governors of Plateau, Abia, Enugu, Ogun, Borno, and Kaduna states attended the ceremony.

Speaking on behalf of the State Governors, the Governor (Sen.) Uba Sani of Kaduna State, thanked the President for removing the subsidy, which had translated into increased allocations to the states for health, education, and infrastructure investments.

Sani assured the President of the sub-national collaboration to improve infrastructure nationwide.

President Tinubu thanked Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his interest in developing the country through continuous investments.

Tinubu averred: “Having inspected the Dangote refinery, which is a great point of reference, a great phenomenon of our time and a massive investment, “I want to thank Aliko Dangote.

“I am happy that the Deep Sea Port I initiated as Governor of Lagos State is a huge success today.”

The President noted: “Users save vast amounts of money using this port because they no longer need to trans-ship their goods.

“I commend the quality of the access road done by Messrs Dangote Industries Limited on our Tax Credit Road programme and the subcontractor, Messrs Hitech Construction Company Limited.”

In his remarks, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President/Chief Executive of Dangote Group, also thanked President Tinubu for envisioning and implementing the Lekki Deep Sea Port project.

The business mogul assured the President of the private sector’s support for expanding infrastructure nationwide, the statement added.

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