Ongoing Federal and State Projects Boost Infrastructure and Economy in Benue

A nationwide media tour of infrastructure projects led by the Presidential Communications Team in Benue State has highlighted significant progress on key road networks, agro-processing facilities, and water supply schemes across the region.

Federal officials inspecting Section One of the Lafia Bypass and the dualization of the Makurdi–Ninth Mile Road noted that travel times between major hubs have already drastically reduced. The dualization of the Makurdi–Otukpo–Enugu road has cut travel time between Makurdi and Otukpo from three hours to approximately 90 minutes.

Speaking during the inspection, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, emphasized the broader economic benefits of the road networks, noting that improved state connectivity will boost both passenger traffic and the movement of commercial goods across borders.

The 250-kilometre project which spans 500 kilometres as a dual carriageway across Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, and Enugu states is divided into five sections. Benue State Federal Controller of Works, Mukaila Danladi, reported that 86 kilometres have reached the binder course level on Section One. Adjustments have also been made to Section Two to upgrade the road shoulders to combat early erosion, with completion targeted for December 2027.

Alongside federal developments, major state-level interventions were highlighted during the tour. Reconstruction of the 52-kilometre Oju-Awaji Road connecting Oju, Konshisha, and Gwer East Local Government Areas is progressing, with 19 kilometres completed with asphalt.

Additionally, the historic ₦70 billion Taraku Mills factory, dormant since the mid-1990s, is undergoing test runs ahead of the 2026 harvest season, with expectations to create over 2,000 jobs and process tens of thousands of metric tonnes of maize and animal feed. Meanwhile, the rehabilitated Otobi Waterworks is operating at a full capacity of 10,000 cubic metres daily, delivering water to Otukpo and nearby communities as plans for expanded distribution continue.