Tinubu Revives Colonial-Era South East Road Dreams, Umahi Says as Mega Highway Projects Advance

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said that several major road projects conceived during the colonial era but abandoned for decades are finally being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaking during a media tour of federal infrastructure projects in Ebonyi State on Saturday, Umahi described the ongoing Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Saharan Superhighway as one of the most significant projects currently underway in the country, with the potential to transform economic activities across the South East, South South and North Central regions.

According to the minister, the highway project represents a long-forgotten colonial vision that has now been revived by the Tinubu administration.

“It is a colonial-era dream long forgotten, but President Tinubu has revived it, and construction is now underway. We must thank him immensely,” Umahi said.

The minister disclosed that construction work is progressing steadily on the project, noting that Section One, originally designed as a 118-kilometre stretch, has been expanded to 123.6 kilometres at a contract value of ₦45 billion, with dualisation works currently ongoing.

He further revealed that Section Two of the highway, extending from the Ebonyi border through Benue and Kogi states to Nasarawa State, has been awarded at a cost of ₦668 billion.

Umahi said some portions of the project have already attained about 28 per cent completion despite the rainy season, attributing the progress to the use of concrete pavement technology adopted by the Federal Government.

He explained that beyond road construction, the Trans-Saharan Superhighway is designed as an economic corridor that will boost agricultural trade and regional connectivity.

“The Trans-Sahara Superhighway is not just a road; it is an investment corridor that will catalyse trade in agricultural produce like cassava, yams, cashews and palm oil from Cross River, Benue and Ebonyi, while also connecting Nigeria to Cameroon,” he said.

The minister added that the concrete road technology first popularised during President Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor is now being deployed on major road projects nationwide.

Umahi also expressed appreciation on behalf of the South East, saying the region is witnessing a level of inclusion in federal infrastructure development that previous generations had sought for years.

During the inspection tour, the delegation visited several strategic infrastructure projects, including critical bridges along Section One of the superhighway, the concrete pavement at Onueke, and the 1.3-kilometre Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, which links the state with Cross River and is expected to be completed by December 2026.

The team also inspected the ongoing Onueke Flyover project, a ₦35 billion infrastructure designed to ease traffic congestion along the busy corridor. The flyover rises about 90 metres and is supported by a 2.2-kilometre access road on either side.

Also speaking during the visit, Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, described Ebonyi as the safest state in Nigeria, claiming that no kidnapping incident has been recorded since he assumed office.

The governor thanked President Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure development in the South East and commended the Federal Government’s commitment to economic renewal.

Nwifuru highlighted several ongoing state projects, including rural roads, primary healthcare centres and water schemes spread across the state’s local government areas.

“We have kept contractors busy in the state with projects spread across every local government area, from rural roads to primary health centres and water schemes,” he said.

The governor also confirmed that South East governors and political leaders are expected to converge in Abakaliki on Monday for a major rally aimed at endorsing President Tinubu for a second term in office.

According to Umahi, the rally will provide an opportunity for the people of Ebonyi State and the wider South East region to express appreciation for the administration’s infrastructure investments in the region.

The media tour was organised by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors under the leadership of Hope Uzodimma in collaboration with the Presidential Media Team.

The delegation, led by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga and presidential media adviser Sunday Dare, is expected to continue its inspection of federal projects in Enugu, Abia, Anambra and Imo states in the coming days.