President Bola Tinubu on Thursday inaugurated a new interchange connecting the Jahi and Gwarimpa districts of the Federal Capital Territory, calling the project a practical demonstration of his administration’s infrastructure-first agenda and a boost to mobility and commerce in the city.
The Arterial Road N16 / Ring Road II interchange, opened as part of a monthlong series of project unveilings marking the administration’s third anniversary, was described by President Tinubu as a remedy to chronic congestion that for years clogged key corridors of the capital.
A statement by Rabi Musa Deputy Director Press in the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory’s office said, the ceremony, held on June 25, was part of the government’s 31-day commissioning schedule; it was the 12th event in that programme.
“Hours were lost. Fuel was wasted. Businesses were delayed. Today, that story ends,” President Tinubu said in remarks read on his behalf by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
He said, “This interchange opens up critical districts of the Federal Capital City and connects them smoothly to the rest of the Territory. Goods will now move faster. Workers will get home earlier.”
President Tinubu praised the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for overseeing the project and urged residents to protect the new infrastructure and continue meeting civic responsibilities, including timely tax payments.
Senator Akpabio, speaking in his personal capacity, defended the administration’s heavy investment in roads, arguing that transport links are prerequisites for access to health care, schools and markets.
He said macroeconomic reforms have broadened revenue sources and strengthened states’ fiscal positions, enabling governors to fund projects and pay salaries without borrowing.
He also said lawmakers are pursuing constitutional amendments to place security on a concurrent list that would enable state policing.
NewsQuest reports that the project, awarded in May 2023 to CBC Global Civil Construction Nigeria Ltd., includes two four-span interchange bridges, about 750 meters of ramps, 1.6 kilometers of retaining walls and 1.5 kilometers of service carriageways, plus drainage, sewer lines, telecom ducts and lighting, according to Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, acting executive secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority.
Minister Wike said the award came two days before President Tinubu’s inauguration in May 2023 and that the administration completed the work without initial mobilization funds, framing the delivery as continuity of governance rather than a partisan accomplishment.
He criticized previous administrations for abandoning predecessor projects and challenged critics who argue that “people cannot eat roads,” saying transport infrastructure underpins access to essential services and economic activity.
The Minister also highlighted other investments, including recent neighborhood water projects in Karu and a scheduled commissioning in Bwari, to underscore a broader development program beyond roads.
Wike cited a sharp rise in property formalization under the current administration, saying the FCT issued about 25,000 Certificates of Occupancy in three years—up from fewer than 4,000 between 2010 and 2023—an outcome he said unlocks capital and eases doing business.
CBC’s Managing Director, Alhaji Umar Yahaya, said the area, once a haven for criminal activity, has been converted into a well-lit, secure corridor, and the project provided local employment.
The contractor and FCTA officials said the project met technical and timeline expectations.
The interchange is expected to relieve recurring gridlock on routes linking Maitama, Gishiri, Jahi and Gwarimpa, improvements officials say will save commuting time, cut fuel consumption and improve security by reducing traffic standstills.
