2027: FG showcases 5,895km North West roads at various stages of completion

By Onu Okorie

Federal Government has showcased about 5,895 kilometres of road projects across the North West at various stages of completion, highlighting the huge infrastructure investment still going on in the region despite the completion of 348 kilometres of inherited and newly initiated projects.

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed the figures at the North West Zonal Presidential Campaign flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna, where infrastructure delivery emerged as a major plank of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign for continuity in 2027.

According to figures presented by the minister, 4,084 kilometres of road projects are currently ongoing, while another 1,811 kilometres are partially completed, putting pressure on the government to sustain funding and accelerate construction if the projects are to translate into improved transportation and lower logistics costs across the region.
Umahi, who is also Deputy Director-General, Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council, said the administration had so far completed 348 kilometres of inherited and newly initiated road projects in the zone.
The figures indicate that while the government has recorded progress on some critical corridors, thousands of kilometres of roads remain under construction or require further work before motorists, farmers and businesses can derive their full economic benefits.
Umahi said completing the projects would strengthen connectivity among states, commercial centres, agricultural communities and other major economic hubs across the North West.
The region, comprising Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, is a major agricultural and commercial belt where poor road conditions have historically increased the cost of moving farm produce and other goods to markets.
The minister said improved roads would reduce transportation difficulties, strengthen agricultural supply chains, create employment and improve access to essential services.
According to him, better road infrastructure would also enable farmers to move produce more efficiently to markets and help traders reduce the cost of transporting goods between rural communities and major commercial centres.
Among the strategic projects highlighted by Umahi was the outstanding section of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Expressway, a major economic corridor connecting the Federal Capital Territory with Kaduna and Kano.
He identified the 118-kilometre Lot 1 section among the major interventions, including 30 kilometres in Kano and the 81-kilometre Tungan Maje-Jere alignment that have been commissioned.
Umahi said improved conditions on the corridor would facilitate passenger movement, strengthen trade and support the distribution of agricultural produce and manufactured goods.
He added that better roads would reduce vehicle operating costs and improve transportation efficiency for businesses and commuters.
Other interventions highlighted in Kano State included the Northern Bypass, the dualisation of Kano-Maiduguri Road, Section I, covering Kano-Shuwarin, and the Yakasai–Badume–Damargu–Marken Jalli Road.
The minister said sustained road investment across the region could strengthen links between agricultural production centres and urban markets and improve the movement of goods and services among Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi states.
Beyond transportation, Umahi said construction activities were generating employment for engineers, technicians and construction workers as well as indirect opportunities for suppliers, transport operators, traders and other local businesses.
He, however, acknowledged that the economic impact of the projects would depend largely on timely completion, adherence to engineering standards, transparent management of public resources and effective maintenance.
The infrastructure figures were unveiled as President Tinubu formally opened the APC’s North West campaign at the Kaduna Township Stadium on Saturday, October 24, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing supporters, Tinubu urged eligible Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the electoral process, while seeking support for APC candidates across the different levels of government.
“Vote APC from top to bottom, APC everywhere,” the President told the gathering.
Tinubu pledged to sustain infrastructure development and other government programmes, arguing that continuity would enable the administration to consolidate ongoing projects and reforms.
Vice President Kashim Shettima also placed infrastructure at the centre of the administration’s development argument for Northern Nigeria, saying improved road networks were critical to connecting farmers with markets and expanding commercial activities.
Shettima said the administration had recognised the infrastructure deficits confronting the North and was implementing interventions designed to improve regional connectivity and economic opportunities.
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, meanwhile, urged Nigerians to assess the administration on what he described as verifiable achievements rather than political narratives on social media.
He called on the electorate to examine completed projects, ongoing interventions and commitments made by the government in assessing its performance.
Director-General of the 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, similarly urged supporters to make infrastructure, public welfare and delivery central to political discussions ahead of the elections.
The rally also witnessed the presentation of APC flags to seven governorship candidates from the North West by the party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
Tinubu attended the event alongside First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Vice President Shettima and his wife, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima; governors, lawmakers and other senior APC officials.
With 4,084 kilometres of ongoing roads and another 1,811 kilometres classified as partially completed, however, the infrastructure figures presented in Kaduna also underscore the scale of unfinished work confronting the administration.