President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially flagged off the long-awaited reconstruction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Federal Highway, a strategic 700-kilometre artery vital to the economic and social integration of Northern Nigeria.
At a flag-off ceremony held Sunday in Jere, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Governor Uba Sani, speaking on behalf of the President, described the highway as the “lifeline connecting the Federal Capital Territory to over 12 states across the North Central, North West, and North East regions.”
“This is the busiest road in Northern Nigeria and the second busiest in the entire country after the Lagos-Ibadan expressway,” Governor Sani noted. He lamented the years of deterioration and neglect the road had endured, leading to frequent accidents and hampered economic activity across the northern corridor.
Originally awarded to Julius Berger by the Buhari administration, the project stalled following the revocation and re-award of the contract under President Tinubu’s government. While certain sections had been completed previously, much of the construction work was abandoned until this renewed intervention.
Governor Sani, who previously represented Kaduna Central in the Senate, said he had been a vocal advocate for the project’s revival. “As a senator, I mobilised my colleagues, held town hall meetings, and engaged directly with President Tinubu to bring attention to this critical project,” he said.
He also attributed the earlier delays partly to security challenges along the Abuja-Kaduna stretch. “Today, thanks to the non-kinetic approach to security and the Kaduna Peace Model, motorists now ply this road without fear,” he said, commending National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu for stabilising the area through coordinated security efforts.
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, who also spoke at the event, disclosed that the highway will be constructed with concrete-reinforced pavement to ensure durability and will be completed within 14 months. He added that the project includes an additional 11-kilometre extension connecting the Kano terminus to Aminu Kano International Airport.
“The reconstruction of this road will not only enhance mobility and trade but also open up new economic opportunities and strengthen security across the northern region,” Governor Sani emphasized.
Once completed, the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway is expected to ease the movement of goods and people, foster regional integration, and address longstanding infrastructure deficits that have impeded growth across Northern Nigeria.
