FG Revives Abandoned Colonial-Era Road Infrastructure in South-East

The Federal Government has commenced the rehabilitation and construction of major regional transport corridors in the South-East that have remained abandoned since the colonial era.

Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, announced the development on Saturday during an extensive facility inspection tour of active federal infrastructure projects across Ebonyi State.

Speaking to senior journalists and administration officials, Umahi highlighted the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue Trans-Saharan Superhighway as a flagship initiative designed to fundamentally reshape economic and trade networks connecting the South-East, South-South, and North-Central regions, as well as neighboring Cameroon.

According to financial and engineering breakdowns provided by the Ministry of Works, Section One of the superhighway which has been expanded to cover a 123.6-kilometer stretch is currently being constructed at a cost of ₦45 billion. Section Two, which cuts through Benue and Kogi states onward to Nasarawa State, was awarded for ₦668 billion and has already achieved roughly 28 percent completion across several active construction zones.

The minister noted that the adoption of concrete road pavement technology has allowed engineering crews to sustain construction momentum despite disruptions from the seasonal rains. He described the transnational route as a critical investment corridor that will drastically reduce transit times and boost the commercial distribution of agricultural commodities like palm oil, cassava, yam, and cashew nuts.

The federal delegation, accompanied by civil engineers and project managers, inspected several vital structural nodes along the network. This included a field assessment of the 1.3-kilometer Ndi-Egbe Bridge in the Afikpo Local Government Area, which bridges Ebonyi and Cross River states and is slated for completion in December 2026. The team also evaluated the ₦35 billion Onueke Flyover project in the Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, designed to resolve severe traffic bottlenecks along that commercial axis.

During a reception for the media delegation in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru expressed appreciation for the federal government’s infrastructural interventions in the region. Nwifuru stated that his administration is mirroring these efforts locally by funding rural road networks, primary healthcare facilities, and clean water schemes across all local government areas, while maintaining strict security protocols to keep the state safe for investment.

The ongoing inspection is part of a coordinated National Media Tour designed to monitor federal capital projects nationwide. Following the conclusion of the Ebonyi assessment, the monitoring delegation is scheduled to transition into Enugu, Abia, Anambra, and Imo states to review the progress of other federal road and bridge contracts.