The Digest:
President Bola Tinubu has approved the construction of six major road projects across Nigeria, including the demolition and replacement of the aging Carter Bridge in Lagos. Minister of Works Dave Umahi disclosed the approvals on Wednesday, outlining key infrastructure developments. The Suleja-Minna Road, originally awarded to Salini Construction but terminated due to poor performance, will see 71 kilometers completed at ₦91 billion per carriageway. The 132 km Kano-Kongolam Road has been redesigned as a three-lane concrete carriageway with solar-powered streetlights and CCTV, estimated at ₦334 billion. The Abuja-Lokoja Road reconstruction covers 86 kilometers with five contractors, including Julius Berger, at ₦146 billion. The Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Road (103 km) is valued at ₦427 billion. Phase Two of the Keffi-Nasarawa-Abaji Road (129.3 km) costs ₦203 billion. The new Carter Bridge design and costing is set at ₦5.6 billion, with demolition of the existing structure deemed necessary after technical evaluations.
Key Points:
- The projects span multiple regions, signaling a comprehensive infrastructure push.
- Concrete carriageways and security features (solar lights, CCTV) indicate modern design standards.
- The Carter Bridge replacement addresses a critical Lagos infrastructure bottleneck.
- Terminations of underperforming contractors suggest increased accountability.
- The May 15 commissioning target for multiple projects indicates accelerated implementation.
Sources: Minister of Works Announcement
