Abuja-Kano Highway To Be Completed By November — Umahi
The Federal Government has announced that the remaining 164 kilometres of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway will be completed by November 2026.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja when the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), led by its President, Babatunde Akinteye, paid him a courtesy visit.
Umahi said the government had so far spent more than N200 billion on the project, while over 80 per cent of the current phase and other components had been paid for.
He explained that the entire Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano corridor spans 375 kilometres in each direction, making 750 kilometres in total, with the outstanding section covering 164 kilometres, or 82 kilometres in each direction.
According to him, the projects being undertaken by the Federal Government on the corridor are valued at N752 billion.
“We believe that by November, the entire stretch will have been completed,” Umahi said.
The minister also raised concerns over the vandalism of federal highways, particularly the removal of reinforcement rods from ongoing road construction.
He said the government would introduce additional security measures, including the installation of solar-powered streetlights at intervals along the highway to improve visibility and safety.
Umahi disclosed that a special highway guard, similar to the one recently inaugurated for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, would also be deployed along the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Superhighway.
He said the Federal Government was executing several other major road projects across the country, with concrete pavement being adopted on some strategic routes.
The minister further urged Nigerian youths and students to participate in monitoring federal road projects and hold public officials accountable.
He, however, cautioned against blackmail, intimidation or confrontation with contractors, urging NANS to engage in project monitoring responsibly.
Umahi also encouraged young Nigerians to acquire relevant skills and embrace productive activities rather than relying solely on government assistance.
On the 2027 elections, the minister called on youths to assess the performance of the current administration and the alternatives being presented by opposition parties based on policies and issues rather than sentiments.
Earlier, the NANS president commended the Ministry of Works for its infrastructure projects, stressing that improved road networks were particularly important to students who travel across the country for academic activities.
Akinteye said NANS was willing to deepen its partnership with the ministry by monitoring ongoing and completed projects and communicating their impact to students and the wider public.
He added that good roads would help reduce transportation costs and improve students’ access to educational institutions.
The NANS president subsequently honoured Umahi as the association’s patron and pledged the students’ support for project monitoring and national development.
