Sokoto-Badagary Highway To Boost Trade, Connectivity – FG

The Federal Government has described the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway as a transformative infrastructure project that will enhance trade, improve connectivity and stimulate economic growth across the country.

Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, stated this while inspecting ongoing construction work and flagging off a roadside tree-planting programme along the Illela–Sokoto section of the highway.

Goronyo said the project, one of the flagship initiatives of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, is designed to serve as a major economic corridor linking the northern and southern regions of Nigeria.

According to him, the highway will facilitate the movement of goods and people, strengthen regional integration and create economic opportunities for communities along its route.

“The Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway is more than a road project; it is a road to prosperity. It reflects President Tinubu’s vision of building a more connected, productive, environmentally sustainable and economically resilient Nigeria,” he said.

The minister noted that the highway will connect with the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, creating a strategic transportation network expected to improve trade, enhance security and support national development.

Representing the Minister of Works, David Umahi, Goronyo commended President Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure development as a tool for economic growth and national integration.

He disclosed that about 120 kilometres of the highway are currently under construction in the Sokoto axis, with approximately 20 kilometres already completed.

Goronyo added that solar-powered streetlights have been installed along sections of the continuously reinforced concrete pavement to improve road safety and reduce long-term maintenance costs.

Speaking on the roadside tree-planting initiative, he said the programme forms part of efforts to promote sustainable infrastructure development and environmental protection.

According to him, the trees will serve as shelterbelts and windbreakers, help combat desert encroachment and soil erosion, and contribute to climate change mitigation.

He added that the initiative would also support the long-term preservation of the highway infrastructure.

The minister commended Umahi, engineers of the Federal Ministry of Works and Hitech Construction Company for their contributions to the project.

He urged Nigerians, particularly residents of the North-West, to support the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that ongoing infrastructure projects are expected to improve living standards and drive economic prosperity across the country.

Goronyo reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering infrastructure capable of supporting sustainable development and improving the welfare of future generations.