The Kebbi State Government has praised Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reviving and executing the long-awaited Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway project, more than four decades after it was first proposed during the administration of late President Shehu Shagari.
Deputy Governor Umar Abubakar Tafida made the remarks on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi while leading members of the Presidential Media Team and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors on an inspection tour of federal and state government projects in the state.
According to Tafida, the longest stretch of the proposed super highway — about 258 kilometres — passes through Kebbi State. He said the road would connect Nigeria’s Northwest and Southwest regions, creating major economic opportunities for farmers, traders and tourists.
The deputy governor explained that the project reflects Tinubu’s broad national development agenda because it links several agricultural and commercial centres across the country. He added that farm produce such as rice, tomatoes and onions would reach markets faster and with fewer losses once the road is completed.
“Transport and development go hand in hand. Farmers will now find it easier to move equipment and transport farm produce to markets quickly,” Tafida said.
He also commended the quality of construction work, including the use of concrete pavement and solar-powered streetlights, while assuring that the state government was working closely with security agencies to protect workers and host communities.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who led the inspection team, said visible progress on the project had silenced critics who doubted the Federal Government’s commitment to completing it.
The delegation inspected parts of the 1,068-kilometre highway corridor, which is expected to pass through seven states.
Dare said the inspection was aimed at showcasing the achievements of the Tinubu administration in the Northwest region and providing evidence of ongoing infrastructure development.
He described the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as strategic projects designed to support Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy through modern infrastructure investments.
Also speaking, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (Northwest), Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, said the highway would improve food security and stimulate economic growth across the region.
According to him, the corridor will include dams and supporting infrastructure to encourage year-round farming and improve transportation of agricultural products nationwide.
At the project site, Site Engineer Malami Aliyu disclosed that construction work in Kebbi State was progressing steadily.
He said the section under construction covers Phases 2A and 2B, stretching from kilometre 120 to kilometre 385.
Aliyu added that concrete pavement work had already covered 19 kilometres, while completion levels currently stand at 40 per cent for Section 2A and 16 per cent for Section 2B.
