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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government on Thursday launched the construction of the 1,068km Section 1, Phase 1A, 3-lane single carriageway of Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Tinubu said the 1068km road when completed would add value to the economy of the region and all states covered by the project.
The President, who was represented by Sokoto State governor, Ahmed Aliyu, promised adequate security for the project.
Speaking in his welcome address, Sokoto State deputy governor and Commissioner for Works, Idris Gobir, an engineer, said history was being made in Sokoto with the project becoming a reality.
Gobir noted that the timing of the project is ideal, emphasising that road construction is a crucial driver of swift socio-economic development.
In a goodwill message, Abubakar Aliyu Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, stated that the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway is a fulfilment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the agenda aimed to build an infrastructure capable of propelling Nigeria into global development.
“The President always says we have a country to believe in and all should work to put the nation in the right spot,” Bagudu said.
Senator Adamu Aliero noted that the 1,068 km road, passing through seven states – Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos to Badagry – demonstrated President Tinubu’s commitment to making Nigeria great.
Aliero appealed for a rail line from Sokoto to Lagos, emphasising the road’s significance as the first of its kind in northern Nigeria.
Barinada Mgigi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, warned contractors that the era of abandoning projects was over and that they should ensure value for money and timely completion.
Minister of State for Works, Muhammed Bello Goronyo, highlighted the project’s benefits: reduced travel time, enhanced security, employment opportunities, and economic growth for the states involved.
Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, reminded President Tinubu that alongside road projects, Nigerian welfare is crucial.
He pledged to monitor the project and advocated for empowering state governors to ensure timely completion and railway construction to preserve road lifespan.
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, provided background on the project, a 48-year-old dream of the Shehu Shagari administration.
Umahi stated that President Tinubu was committed to completing inherited projects, with the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway to be completed within six years (first stage by 2027) at a cost of over N13 trillion.
The president aims to build 100-year-lasting roads using concrete, with the National Security Adviser ensuring hitch-free construction.
