Presidential Media Team Tours North-West Projects

Residents and commuters along the busy Zuba (Federal Capital Territory) and Jere (Kaduna State) Super Highway have expressed satisfaction with the introduction of concrete pavement technology on the ongoing Abuja–Kaduna-Kano super highway project.

The plaudits poured as the Presidential Communications Team, led by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, commenced on Thursday an extensive inspection tour of major Federal Government infrastructure projects across the North-West geopolitical zone.

The tour, held in collaboration with the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, began with a visit to the fully completed concrete pavement expressway stretching from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Jere in Kaduna State.

According to a statement by the Director (Information & Public Relations), State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, this critical road corridor constitutes Section One of the ambitious Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Super Highway, a flagship infrastructure project of the Tinubu administration designed to enhance connectivity, improve road safety, and stimulate economic activities across northern Nigeria.

The Zuba–Jere stretch, identified as Section One of the Abuja–Kaduna segment, has attracted significant attention due to its transition from traditional asphalt to reinforced concrete pavement.

The exercise is aimed at assessing the level of completion, verifying project quality, and documenting progress under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In an interview with journalists, Mr Onanuga maintained that the inspection tour was aimed at ensuring accountability, verifying contractors’ adherence to specifications, and documenting progress for public awareness.

“ I think every government must endeavour to blow its trumpet, so what we have done is to showcase what the President has done in the last two years and seven months of his administration.

“The government has done a lot of things. It is just incredible that some people will open their mouths and say the President has not done anything.

“ I believe now you have seen for yourselves that many projects are going on, and these are just about roads. There are other projects that this government has been busy working on in these last few years,” he said.

Onanuga noted that the project reflects the President’s unwavering commitment to modernising Nigeria’s transport infrastructure through durable, cost-effective engineering solutions.

On his part, Engr. Chukwuma Kalu, Resident Engineer from the Federal Ministry of Works overseeing the project, said the contractor has so far covered 88 Kilometres of concrete pavement from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory to Jere Local Government Area of Kaduna State. In comparison, the inbound section from Kaduna to Jere was 21 Kilometres.

Also speaking, Mr Robert Turner, the Senior Project Manager at Infiouest International, the company handling the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway, in charge of the concrete pavement, said they have engaged over 1,000 local workers from the host communities.

“The thousand workers I am referring to are Nigerians, from engineers, operators of our machines, down to labourers, who are all from Nigeria.

“In terms of security, we have support from the Office of the National Security Adviser, One Division of the Nigerian Army and the locals. We thank God; generally, we don’t have any major security threats because we have enjoyed strong community cooperation.

“So, our target for the completion of Section 1 is today, and Section 2 will be completed by November 2026. We work day and night. We are totally dedicated to completing it on time, and you are welcome to come and inspect it at night.

“ My workers are working day and night putting six hundred to seven hundred meters of concrete pavement,” Turner explained.

Residents and commuters further expressed appreciation for the federal government’s attention to the corridor, noting that the road project will significantly ease transportation challenges between the FCT and Kaduna State and serve as a critical link to northern Nigeria.

Many residents and communities described the innovation as a long-awaited intervention capable of withstanding heavy vehicular traffic and reducing the frequency of repairs.

The Presidential Media Team reiterated its commitment to keeping citizens informed about the progress of government initiatives while ensuring accountability in the execution of public projects.