The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, says President Bola Tinubu’s four legacy road projects are designed as an integrated national infrastructure network that will connect all six geo-political zones of Nigeria, boost economic activities, and strengthen food security.
Umahi made the statement on Monday while receiving a delegation from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), led by Maimouna Sidibe, Head of the Basic Infrastructure Division, Department of Public Sector Corporations, at the Ministry of Works headquarters in Abuja.
According to his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze the EBID team is currently conducting appraisal activities ahead of potential financing approval for Section One of the Trans-Sahara Super Highway, a key component of the administration’s flagship road projects.
According to the Minister, the four legacy projects were deliberately structured to function as an interconnected transport loop across the country.
He explained that the 750-kilometre Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway links with the Trans-Sahara Super Highway through Ndibe Beach in Cross River State, forming part of a broader national connectivity plan.
Umahi disclosed that Section One of the Trans-Sahara Super Highway covers 123.64 kilometres from Ndibe Beach to the Benue border, while additional sections through Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa States have already been awarded.
He noted that the corridor has historical significance as a colonial-era trade route and remains critical to agricultural production and food distribution across Nigeria.
“The route has long existed and remains a major food corridor. It is critical to food sufficiency in our country,” Umahi said.
He added that the project would significantly reduce travel time between Calabar and Abuja to about four hours, while stimulating industrial growth along the corridor through irrigation, renewable energy development, and job creation.
“There will be factories along the corridor, power projects, and significant traffic volumes on the road,” he said.
The Minister further explained that the Trans-Sahara Super Highway would connect to other strategic corridors, including the Abuja–Akwanga road network extending through Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Biu, and Maiduguri. He added that procurement and construction activities are ongoing on several sections, including the Gombe–Biu highway.
Umahi also outlined plans to link the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway to the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway through a proposed route beginning at Victoria Island, passing through a tunnel and island corridors before connecting to Badagry.
“When you look at all of this on a map, you see a loop. All the geo-political zones are included,” he said, adding that the network would allow movement across Nigeria’s regions within two days.
He commended the contractor handling Section One of the project, Infioues, noting that construction progress had exceeded 20 percent. He stressed the need to accelerate financing approvals as payment obligations would become due once the project reaches 30 percent completion.
Earlier, EBID delegation leader Maimouna Sidibe reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting the project, describing it as a priority infrastructure investment.
She disclosed that the project had already passed initial credit committee review and was undergoing detailed appraisal ahead of further approvals.
“The members find this project very important and encourage the department to come to finalize the instruction of the projects,” Sidibe said.
She added that the delegation’s visit included consultations with government agencies and site inspections to assess implementation progress, environmental compliance, and social safeguards.
Sidibe further noted that the project is expected to proceed to EBID’s second credit committee before final consideration by its Board of Executive Directors in early July.
She also commended the Federal Government’s commitment to counterpart funding, stating that a significant portion had already been fulfilled.
The EBID delegation included officials from environmental, financial, and sustainability departments, alongside representatives of the project contractor.