The Federal Government has signed Memoranda of Understanding with Hitech Africa Limited and Infiouest International Limited for major legacy road projects under President Bola Tinubu’s infrastructure plan.
The signing took place on Wednesday at the Federal Ministry of Works headquarters in Abuja, with officials of the ministry and representatives of the two construction firms in attendance.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the projects were already changing the face of the country’s road network. He said many people first doubted the plans, but the work on ground had begun to show results.
“These projects are not just road projects; they are investments,” Umahi said, adding that they would boost movement, trade and national development.
He also praised President Tinubu for turning campaign promises into visible projects across the country. Speaking on the South-East and the South, he urged support for the President’s 2027 re-election bid, describing the people of the zone as “a people of wisdom.”
Umahi said contractors handling the four legacy road projects had shown professionalism and followed engineering standards and timelines. He pointed to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying it had moved from criticism to proof of its economic value.
“When we started the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, many doubted its feasibility,” he said. “Today the project has become a beauty to behold.”
He explained that Section II of the Calabar-Ebonyi-Abuja Superhighway runs from the Ebonyi border through Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states. He added that Section IV of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway passes through Oyo State, while Section V of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway goes through Akwa Ibom State.
According to him, work is advancing on other sections in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. He said Section V of the coastal highway is especially difficult because more than 70 per cent of the route sits on swampy ground.
“This is not an ordinary road project,” Umahi said. “It is an investment that will last for 100 years.”
He said the average cost per kilometre remained competitive despite the tough terrain and the need for strong pavement, drainage, culverts and other road structures.
On the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the minister said the project reflects the government’s plan to spread infrastructure fairly across the six geopolitical zones. He also said contracts under the EPC+F model would not be adjusted arbitrarily, except in clear cases of unforeseen changes.
