The Federal Government is targeting November 2026 for the completion of the remaining 164km stretch of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, gave the update on Monday when the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), led by its President, Babatunde Akinteye, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Umahi said the Federal Government had spent more than N200 billion on the project, while the current phase and other components had received more than 80% payment, with the government expecting the entire stretch to be completed by November.

What they are saying

Umahi described the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano corridor as one of the major legacy road projects of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

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He said the entire corridor covers 375km in each direction, amounting to 750km of carriageway, adding that the government had returned to the remaining 164km stretch, which covers 82km in each direction.

  • “The Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road is 375 kilometres by two, 750 kilometres. The President funded part of this project. We have spent over N200 billion on that project.”
  • “We are back here with the remaining 164 kilometres, 82 kilometres by two. Both of these projects are costing us N752 billion under the President. Over 80 per cent has been paid. We believe that by November, the entire stretch will have been completed,” he said.

Umahi also expressed concern over the vandalism of federal highways, particularly the removal of reinforcement rods from concrete sections of roads under construction.

He said the Federal Government would inaugurate a highway guard on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano corridor to protect the infrastructure from vandalism. The minister added that solar streetlights would be installed at intervals along the highway to improve visibility and safety for motorists.

Other major road projects

The Federal Government is also targeting February 2028 for the completion of the ongoing dualisation of the 250km Makurdi–9th Mile–Enugu Highway.

  • The timeline was disclosed by the Federal Controller of Works in Benue, Mukaila Danladi, according to an update provided by the Presidency via its official WhatsApp Channel.
  • The strategic highway is being delivered in five sections, with Sections 1–3 traversing Benue State and Sections 4–5 located in Enugu State.
  • The 250km corridor connects Makurdi in Benue State with 9th Mile and Enugu in Enugu State and is expected to strengthen connectivity between Nigeria’s North-Central and South-East regions.

Upon completion, the dual carriageway is expected to improve the movement of passengers and cargo between the two regions.

The project is expected to strengthen economic linkages between the North-Central and South-East by improving access to markets and neighbouring regions, including Kogi State.

What you should know

The Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway is a major road corridor connecting Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory with Niger, Kaduna and Kano states.

The 164km stretch is part of the wider Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road project, which was awarded to Julius Berger in 2017 but stalled before efforts to revive construction under the Tinubu administration.

  • In January 2024, Umahi announced renewed efforts to complete the project, including a N20 billion monthly funding commitment.
  • By March 2025, N17 billion had been released, with an additional N33 billion allocated to the project.
  • The Federal Executive Council revised the project’s cost to N740.79 billion in September 2024 and approved N507 billion for the second section in March 2025.

The government is also introducing measures to improve safety and protect the highway, including highway guards and solar streetlights along sections of the corridor. The completion of the remaining stretch would provide a continuous road connection along one of the country’s major north-south transport corridors and support the movement of passengers and goods between Abuja and the major commercial centres of Kaduna, Zaria and Kano.