President Bola Tinubu has approved the extension of the Fourth Legacy Highway by an additional 400 kilometres, increasing the strategic road corridor from about 700 kilometres to approximately 1,100 kilometres, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced on Thursday.
Umahi also said the President had approved the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway using reinforced concrete pavement, the completion of the abandoned Ibi Bridge in Taraba State, the construction of the 5.76-kilometre Lau Bridge across the Benue River and the dualisation of an additional 400 kilometres of the East-West Road.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, the minister described the approvals as a significant step in the Federal Government’s infrastructure renewal programme, saying the projects would strengthen national integration, improve regional connectivity and support economic growth.
According to Umahi, the extension of the Fourth Legacy Highway, approved on Wednesday, will take the route into Taraba State, improving links between the North-Central and North-East.
He said the expanded corridor would pass through several historic communities before terminating in Taraba.
Originally conceived as a dual carriageway linking Akwanga in Nasarawa State to Maiduguri in Borno State through Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe and Biu, the highway will now extend further into Taraba following the latest approval.
Umahi also announced that Tinubu had approved the full reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway after sections of the highway showed signs of deterioration less than five years after rehabilitation.
He said the project justified the ministry’s decision to advocate reinforced concrete pavement for major highways, arguing that asphalt had repeatedly failed despite maintenance works.
“The President approved yesterday the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Road, and that is the justification for our fight for the use of reinforced concrete pavement,” he said.
According to the minister, the 135-kilometre dual carriageway will be reconstructed using reinforced concrete pavement, which he said could last between 50 and 100 years with minimal maintenance.
Tinubu also approved the completion of the Ibi Bridge project in Taraba State, which was awarded in 2018 but stalled after reaching about 40 per cent completion.
The President further authorised the design, procurement and construction of the 5.76-kilometre Lau Bridge across the Benue River in Taraba State.
Umahi also announced approval for the dualisation of an additional 400 kilometres of the East-West Road corridor from Lokoja to Benin, saying the project would improve road safety, facilitate trade and reduce travel time.
In a separate announcement, the minister said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would be renamed the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway, describing the decision as recognition of the President’s long-standing vision for the project.
Umahi said Tinubu first conceived the coastal highway while serving as Governor of Lagos State more than two decades ago.
Providing an update on the 750-kilometre project, the minister said construction was progressing simultaneously across several sections.
He said Section One, stretching 47.47 kilometres from Victoria Island to Eleko Village in Lagos State, includes a dual carriageway with a 25-metre median reserved for a future railway line.
Section Two, extending from Eleko Village to the Lagos-Ogun boundary, is about 60 per cent complete and is expected to be substantially finished by the end of November, with bridge works continuing thereafter.
Umahi said the coastal corridor includes several long-span bridges designed to accommodate heavy industrial traffic around the Dangote Refinery axis.
He added that Section Three, covering 75 kilometres from Calabar, is about 30 per cent complete, while Section Four, spanning 82 kilometres across Ogun and Ondo states, has reached about 20 per cent completion. Construction is also progressing on the 180-kilometre Akwa Ibom section.
The minister also provided an update on the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, describing it as the realisation of a vision first conceived more than 50 years ago.
According to him, the completed highway is expected to reduce travel time between Sokoto and Lagos to about 10 hours at an average speed of 100 kilometres per hour. He said construction is currently under way from the Ilela, Kebbi and Badagry ends of the corridor.
Umahi further reported progress on the Trans-Sahara Highway, saying ongoing works through Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu and Kogi states would significantly improve connectivity between the South-East and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Federal Government’s Legacy Projects comprise four flagship highway corridors: the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Trans-Sahara Highway and the Akwanga-Maiduguri Highway.
Since taking office in May 2023, the Tinubu administration has prioritised large-scale road infrastructure under its Renewed Hope Agenda, with the Ministry of Works increasingly adopting reinforced concrete pavement for major highways, arguing that it offers greater durability and lower long-term maintenance costs than conventional asphalt.
