President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Thursday, inaugurated the construction of the Sokoto-Badagry Highway.
ASHENEWS reported the Minister of Works, David Umahi on 30 April 2024 as revealing that President Bola Tinubu had directed the Ministry of Works to begin designs for the Badagry-Sokoto Coastal Highway project.
“I’m happy that Mr President has also directed me to start the immediate design of the Sokoto-Badagry Coastal Highway. This one is a spur of the Coastal highway, and that one is 1000 kilometres.
“We’ve started the design and I’m very sure that as soon as Federal Executive Council approves it, we will be starting at Sokoto side, which is the zero point,” Umahi had said.
The ambitious project is set to boost economic activities by connecting Nigeria’s far northwest to the southwest, with significant implications for trade, transportation, and regional integration.
Speaking at the event, Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu praised the federal government’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure across the country.
He emphasized that the highway would not only improve connectivity but also create jobs and open up trade opportunities between the North and South.
“This road is not just a lifeline for Sokoto but for Nigeria as a whole. It will enhance trade links between our states and promote national unity,” Aliyu said in his address.
Aliyu also highlighted the strategic importance of the project, which will link Sokoto to Badagry, a key border town and trading hub on the country’s Atlantic coast.
Governor Aliyu also expressed confidence that the highway would ease the transportation of agricultural products, reducing costs for farmers and boosting the state’s economy.
He urged the contractors to expedite the project while ensuring the highest quality standards.
The Sokoto-Badagry Highway is expected to significantly reduce travel time and facilitate smoother movement of goods and people, fostering stronger socio-economic ties across the regions it traverses.
