Activist slams FG over neglect, poor funding of Lokoja-Abuja road
Kogi Activist Calls for Urgent Attention to Lokoja-Abuja Highway
ANYIGBA, Kogi State — Usman Okai Austin, a political activist from Kogi State, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize the Lokoja-Abuja highway with the same funding and attention afforded to the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.
Speaking to reporters, Okai raised alarm about the slow progress on the vital roadway, which serves as a major link between the Federal Capital Territory and southern Nigeria. He criticized the Federal Government for awarding segments of the project to contractors he deemed inexperienced and inadequately supervised.
“The commuters are suffering. People are spending nights trapped between Lokoja and Abuja, yet this highway is essential for connectivity,” Okai stated.
The highway, spanning approximately 200 kilometers, was initially awarded in 2006 during the latter days of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. The project, with a preliminary contract value of around ₦42 billion, was projected to be completed within 30 months.
However, nearly two decades later, the roadway has yet to be finished, experiencing various delays under the regimes of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari. Those setbacks have been attributed to contract revisions, cost escalations, and insufficient funding.
The Tinubu administration made attempts to rectify the situation by canceling contracts with underperforming companies and reassigning key sections of the project, including a portion awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc in March 2026. Despite these efforts, Okai claims little progress is visible at the construction sites.
“Unfortunately, there is no sign of Julius Berger on that stretch. Instead, unknown contractors continue to work, citing poor funding as the reason for the delays,” he said.
Okai called on the Minister of Works to prioritize the Lokoja-Abuja highway, emphasizing the need for urgent measures to alleviate the considerable challenges faced by motorists and travelers. “Whatever the case may be, it is time for decisive action because Nigerians are going through hell on that road daily,” he added.
