President Bola Tinubu on Saturday inaugurated an 81-kilometer section of the Abuja–Kaduna highway.
The completion of the long-delayed transport corridor supports the governing party’s campaign showcase for the President’s second term ahead of the January 2027 presidential election.
The project, built with continuously reinforced concrete and fitted with streetlights, is part of the broader Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano highway, a 375-kilometer artery linking the capital with commercial centers across northern Nigeria.
NewsQuest reports that the inauguration coincided with the formal flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign in Kaduna, where President Tinubu’s administration sought to present road construction as one of the several pieces of evidence of the government’s economic agenda.
Works Minister David Umahi in his remarks at the ceremony described the completed stretch as part of a wider effort to modernize transport infrastructure, improve connectivity and support commerce in the North-West.
He said the 118-kilometer first section of the highway was completed in 13 months, while work on a 164-kilometer second section was substantially advanced.
The highway falls within the Federal Government’s plan to develop 4,084 kilometers of roads in the North-West.
In a statement, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President Bayo Onanuga said 348 kilometers of inherited and newly initiated projects in the region had been completed, with another 1,811 kilometers under construction.
Umahi had explained that the concrete pavement and lighting are intended to make the busy corridor more durable and safer for motorists, particularly at night.
The Works Minister said the president had directed that the entire Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano route be illuminated with solar-powered streetlights.
The road is strategically important for the movement of goods and passengers between Abuja and northern commercial hubs, including Kaduna, Zaria and Kano.
The government has also described it as a catalyst for regional trade and economic development.
Umahi also credited Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani with helping monitor implementation.
