The Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled plans to toll major road corridors across the country as part of its Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at ensuring road sustainability, improving infrastructure, and enhancing ease of doing business.
Speaking during a Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja, Minister of Works Senator David Umahi announced that critical highways — including the Abuja-Kano Road, Port Harcourt Road, East-West Road, and the four legacy superhighway projects (Lagos-Calabar, Sokoto-Badagry, Kebbi section, and others) — will be toll-operated to ensure long-term maintenance and durability of over 50 years.
Umahi emphasized that tolling is essential for sustainability, as budgetary provisions alone are insufficient to maintain Nigeria’s expanding 38,000 km road network.
He referenced the Keffi-Makurdi and Keffi-Akwanga roads, built under a China Harbour agreement, as examples where tolling is being implemented as part of the financing and maintenance model.
“In the past, we built roads that failed almost immediately,” Umahi said. “Now, we’re focused not just on building but on maintaining quality that lasts.”
The plan aligns with President Tinubu’s broader economic vision of building a $1 trillion economy through local content development and robust infrastructure.