Akwa Ibom Spends N879.22bn On Roads, Infrastructure Projects
The Akwa Ibom State Government says it has expended N879.22 billion on roads, bridges, erosion control, electrification and other infrastructure projects since the administration of Governor Umo Bassey Eno assumed office.
The Commissioner for Works, Prof. Eno Ibanga, disclosed this on Thursday in Uyo during a press conference organised as part of activities marking the 39th anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom State.
Ibanga said the expenditure covered projects initiated by the present administration as well as infrastructure projects inherited from the previous government.
According to him, the state government is currently executing 234 projects involving roads, erosion control and electrical works, with 40 bridges and a combined road length of 1,159.63 kilometres across the state.
He added that 43 projects under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project were also being implemented, covering 352.83 kilometres.
This, he said, brings the total length of roads covered by ongoing state government projects to 1,511.83 kilometres.
The commissioner said N131.71 billion had been spent on inherited projects, while N747.51 billion had been expended on projects initiated under the administration’s ARISE Agenda.
He explained that the inherited projects comprised 47 Federal Government Priority Connectivity road projects, including 14 bridges, 51 direct-labour projects, and seven erosion control, electrification and other intervention projects.
According to Ibanga, 57 of the inherited projects have been completed, while 15 have already been commissioned by the present administration.
On projects initiated by the Eno administration, the commissioner said 129 ARISE projects had been undertaken, comprising 114 road projects and 15 erosion control, electrification and other intervention projects.
He said 26 of the ARISE projects had been completed, with 20 already commissioned.
Ibanga further disclosed that N615.65 billion had been released for 76 ARISE Federal Government Priority Connectivity projects, while N131.86 billion had been spent on 53 emergency intervention projects under the programme.
He said the total expenditure on ARISE projects stood at N747.51 billion.
The Works Ministry also reported significant progress in the transition from diesel-powered to solar-powered street lighting across the state.
Ibanga said 6,386 out of the 6,441 approved solar street lights under Phases I and II had been installed, representing 95 per cent completion.
He said the transition had reduced monthly diesel consumption for street lighting from 150,000 litres, which cost about N187.5 million, to 32,000 litres, costing approximately N40 million.
This, according to him, represents a reported 78.7 per cent reduction in monthly expenditure on diesel for street lighting.
Among the major road projects highlighted for 2026 are the dualisation of the 7.64-kilometre Ndon Eyo-Ikot Akpatek Road, the 16.38-kilometre Nung Udoe-Afaha Offiong-Afaha Nsit Road and the 18.12-kilometre Afaha Offiong-Ikot Imo-Itreto Road.
Other projects include road networks at the Itam Industrial Park and Shelter Afrique Housing Estate.
The commissioner said the infrastructure programme was designed to reduce travel time and traffic congestion, improve access to the airport and public utilities, connect rural communities to economic opportunities, strengthen security and emergency response, and create employment.
Meanwhile, the ministry said it generated N303.61 million into the state Treasury Single Account by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
The amount, it said, represented 132.26 per cent of its approved annual revenue target of N229.55 million, with the revenue generated mainly through access permits, right-of-way payments and the sale of unserviceable items.
