The Federal Government has set a 14-month timeline to complete the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano dual carriageway, aimed at improving connectivity and safety in northern Nigeria.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, reaffirmed this during the inauguration of rehabilitation works on the Abuja-Kaduna section. The disclosure was reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.
Divided into three segments for efficient execution, the road covers Abuja to Kaduna (Section 1), Kaduna to Zaria (Section 2), and Zaria to Kano (Section 3). The project includes upgrades such as scarifying the existing surface, embankment filling, stabilized crushed rock materials, and reinforced concrete-lined drains.
Minister Idris highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is determined to complete the project within the stipulated timeline.
“President Bola Tinubu is very committed and determined to to ensure that this road from Abuja to Kano is completed in a record time of 14 months,” he stated.
Idris explained that the original contractor’s three-year completion plan was deemed unacceptable, prompting the government to reassign the contract and break it into three segments for accelerated delivery.
The NAN report noted that Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced plans to extend the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano dual carriageway, including a link to Aminu Kano International Airport and a five-kilometre stretch on the Abuja-Lokoja axis.
He assured Nigerians that the rehabilitated road, with solar lighting and reinforced concrete, will last 50 to 100 years.
Umahi also addressed the road’s poor condition, citing cracks, potholes, and drainage issues, and stated that emergency repairs are ongoing across four sections to ease users’ hardships during the full rehabilitation.
What you should know
Julius Berger was initially contracted to rehabilitate the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road until October 2024, when the Federal Government revoked the contract due to delays and cost discrepancies.
- Umahi disclosed that under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the project was divided into three segments to manage costs after Julius Berger proposed N1.5 trillion to complete the road in four years. The government initially approved an increase in costs from N710 billion to N740 billion, with the company agreeing to a monthly payment of N20 billion to expedite progress.
However, Julius Berger later requested an additional cost increase to N903 billion, which the government rejected. Minister Umahi criticized these escalating demands and warned that inefficiencies would no longer be tolerated, leading to the contract’s termination.
