Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway takes shape, FG launches Green Initiative along corridor

By Onu Okorie

Work is advancing steadily on one of Nigeria’s most ambitious road projects, as the Federal Government flagged off a roadside tree-planting programme along the Illela–Sokoto axis of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, signalling that sustainability, not just speed, is driving the mega infrastructure push.

The flag-off ceremony, which doubled as a construction inspection, was led by the Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, representing Minister of Works Engr. David Umahi. It drew attention not only to the highway’s remarkable progress but also to the government’s intent to build infrastructure that endures environmentally as much as structurally.

Spanning 1,068 kilometres upon completion, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway is designed to link the far north to Nigeria’s southern coastline, connecting with the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway to form a transformative national transportation grid. Authorities say the corridor will reshape trade routes, improve mobility, bolster security, and deepen regional integration across the country.

Construction is currently active along approximately 120 kilometres of the Sokoto axis, with 20 kilometres already completed. The finished section features continuously reinforced concrete pavement — an engineering choice intended to maximise durability and reduce long-term maintenance costs and is fitted with solar-powered street lighting.

The newly launched tree-planting initiative adds an ecological dimension to the project. Trees planted along the highway’s shoulders will function as shelterbelts and windbreakers, combating desert encroachment and soil erosion — persistent environmental threats across Nigeria’s northwest. Officials say the green corridor will also support climate change mitigation efforts and extend the lifespan of the road infrastructure itself.

“The Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway is more than a road project; it is a road to prosperity,” Goronyo declared, adding that it reflects a vision of a more connected, environmentally sustainable, and economically resilient Nigeria.

Hitech Construction Company is handling the civil works, with the Federal Ministry of Works providing technical oversight.

For communities across the northwest — long underserved by modern infrastructure — the project carries particular significance. Beyond easing movement, it promises to unlock agricultural markets, reduce logistics costs, and open the region to broader economic activity.

With construction momentum building and an environmental framework now embedded in the project’s design, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway is increasingly looking less like a promise and more like a delivery.