The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a total of $651.7 million for the construction of the 7th Axial Road, a critical evacuation corridor linking the Lekki Deep Seaport to major transportation routes serving southern and northern Nigeria.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, made the disclosure on Monday following the conclusion of the FEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Umahi stated that the road, which includes 50 kilometers of dual carriageway and an additional five kilometers of bridges, will facilitate the movement of goods from the Lekki Deep Seaport, including products from the Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer plant.
The corridor will connect Epe to the Sagamu–Ore Expressway, creating a vital logistics link to 17 southern states and the wider northern region.
“The 7th Axial Road is an evacuation corridor. It takes us from the Lekki Deep Sea Port, evacuating the goods of, you know, Dangote, the Dangote refinery, Dangote fertilizer, and all the goods of the Deep Sea Port. And it takes us straight to Epe, and it takes us straight to the Shagamu-Ore Road, which is, you know, exit, you know, to the 17 southern states and the other northern states, you know, within that axis.
And so it’s been approved for a total of $651.7 million,” Umahi stated.
The Minister noted that the 7th Axial Road project was initially approved during the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, with the intention of securing funding from the China Exim Bank.
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Umahi further disclosed that the 7th Axial Road project is one of two strategic road proposals that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented to Chinese President Xi Jinping during his last state visit to China, where he sought funding support from the China Exim Bank. The other proposal was the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Road.
- The 7th Axial Road project is expected to significantly enhance Nigeria’s trade competitiveness by enabling the efficient movement of goods between the Lekki Deep Seaport and major economic centres across the country.
- Once completed, the corridor is anticipated to ease pressure on existing ports, reduce logistics costs, and strengthen economic integration nationwide.
Strategically located within the Lekki Free Trade Zone, the road will support high-volume industrial and maritime activity, serving key developments such as the Dangote Refinery and other export-driven enterprises.
