Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the re-award of key sections of the Abuja–Lokoja Highway, describing the decision as a timely intervention that will bring relief to commuters and stimulate economic activities along the busy corridor.
The project, covering about 86 kilometres, was re-awarded after the Federal Government terminated earlier contracts over poor performance and failure by the contractors to meet agreed delivery timelines.
The cancellation of the previous contracts was announced by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, during a press briefing in Abuja in November 2025. The disengaged firms included Sadogi Nigeria Limited, Venus Construction Limited, Gold/Triacta Nigeria Limited and Transcrete Solutions Limited.
At the Federal Executive Council meeting held on March 4, 2026 and presided over by President Tinubu, the Abuja–Lokoja highway project was among six major road contracts approved for re-award as part of the administration’s renewed push to accelerate infrastructure development across the country.
Other projects approved include the 71-kilometre Suleja–Minna Road, the rehabilitation of Carter Bridge in Lagos, the 132-kilometre Kano–Kangolam Road, the 103-kilometre Ibadan–Ife–Ilesha Road, and the second phase of the 129-kilometre Keffi–Nasarawa–Abaji Road.
All the road projects are expected to be constructed with wider concrete carriageways and form part of an infrastructure package estimated to cost about ₦1.2 trillion.
Reacting to the development, Karimi praised the President’s swift response in reviving the Abuja–Lokoja road project barely four months after the termination of the earlier contracts.
“The non-performing Abuja–Lokoja contracts were cancelled only a few months ago,” he said. “The President, being sensitive to the plight of Nigerians who use this road daily, prioritized the re-award of this very important route within a short time. This demonstrates responsive and proactive leadership committed to improving the lives of citizens.”
The lawmaker also noted that assigning different contractors to various segments of the highway could accelerate completion and ensure better delivery timelines. He recalled that the road has been undergoing reconstruction since the later years of the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, making its completion long overdue.
Beyond road construction, Karimi also applauded the President’s recent reforms in the oil sector aimed at improving transparency and boosting government revenue.
He particularly highlighted the Executive Order on Direct Remittances (E09), which mandates that revenues from tax oil, profit oil, royalty oil and gas flaring penalties be paid directly into the Federation Account.
According to the senator, the reform also stops the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited from deducting a 30 per cent management fee on profit oil and the 30 per cent Frontier Exploration Fund under Production Sharing Contracts.
Karimi said the measure is expected to end years of opaque deductions in the oil sector and significantly increase the funds available for national development.
“By boosting revenue flows, these reforms have already improved monthly allocations to the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the 774 local governments,” he said, adding that increased revenue would make it easier for government to invest in critical infrastructure nationwide.
He expressed hope that the additional resources would enable the Federal Government to address other strategic road projects across the country, including the East–West Road, Abuja–Lokoja–Benin Road, Benin–Sapele–Warri Road, Kabba–Isanlu–Egbe–Ilorin Road, Kabba–Iyara–Omuo Ekiti Road, and the Aiyetoro Gbedde–Aiyegunle Gbedde–Kupa–Eggan Road.
Karimi noted that improving road connectivity across the country would not only enhance trade and mobility but also support ongoing security operations by making it harder for criminal groups to exploit isolated areas.
“Seamless movement across the country will complement the government’s security efforts and send a clear message that no part of Nigeria will remain inaccessible to lawful authority,” the senator said.
Karimi Praises Tinubu’s Abuja–Lokoja Road Re-Award, Seeks More Highways
