President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to inaugurate the  construction work of the 1000-km Sokoto-Badagry Coastal Highway in August. The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi disclosed this during a stakeholders engagement on the project in Birnin Kebbi. Umahi revealed that he was directed by the president to come to Kebbi with some ministers and members of the National Assembly to unveil the scope of the project.

The project is the old West African Trade Route, and the processes for the commencement of the construction of the 1000km six lane super highway are in progress. Kebbi State has lion share of the project, the first phase of construction will start here covering three lanes on each side of the road.

120 kilometers section of the road lay in Sokoto State while 258 kilometers passes through Kebbi State, which is the largest beneficiary in the country.

The super highway extends the way to Illela border town with Niger Republic in Sokoto State and down to Badagry in Lagos state.

Significance the 1000-km Sokoto-Badagry Coastal Highway Project

There are lots of benefits, security, tourism, smooth transportation and industrial growth. Additionally, the Sokoto – Badagry corridor boasts of 53 dams that would be developed for Agriculture, electricity and serve as trade routes with other African countries. The super highway like the Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway, is an investment venture for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

Although the road is an NNPC project, the progress of work has not been good. Moreover, the Nigerian government was also looking into the 87 km Koko – Mahuta – Dabai road of which only six kilometers was reconstructed.

The minister said the federal government was also not happy about the pace of work on the Malando – Warrah road, explaining that appropriate action would be applied as remedy. The Sokoto – Badagry Super Highway as indelible legacy of the All Progressive Congress.

States that the Road Shall Pass Through

The Director, Federal Highways, Bridges and Design, Mr Bede Obioha, informed the stakeholders that the Sokoto – Badagry six lane Super Highway would start from Illela – Tangaza – Binji -Gwadabawa – Silame – Argungu in Sokoto State.

On completion of the road project, there will be consistency in free flow of traffic”, the director said. The Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammadu Mera, affirmed the support of traditional rulers to the road construction, assuring that they would mobilise their people towards successful completion of the project.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Barinada Mpigi, two other members of the committee, Sen. Adamu Aliero, Sen. Aminu Tambuwal as well as the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Mr Akin Alabi, delivered goodwill messages.

They reaffirmed the commitment of the national assembly to provide necessary legislative support to Nigeria’s President Tinubu on infrastructural development, socio- economic and industrial growth of the nation as a whole.