The Federal Authorities has included a N367.9 billion multilateral/bilateral mortgage for the continuing building and dualisation of Lafia Highway and the ninth Mile–Otukpo–Makurdi hall within the proposed 2026 finances, which totals N58.47 trillion.
The loan-backed challenge is likely one of the largest allocations beneath the Ministry of Works within the 2026 Appropriation Invoice (Particulars) doc.
It kinds a part of the federal government’s technique to advance long-running federal highway initiatives by a mixture of budgetary funding and exterior financing.
Based on the Appropriation Invoice particulars, the Ministry of Works was allotted N3.49 trillion within the 2026 fiscal 12 months, with N3.44 trillion put aside for capital expenditure, largely directed at ongoing highway building, rehabilitation, and dualisation initiatives nationwide.
What the Appropriation Invoice doc is saying
The doc confirmed that the Lafia Highway and ninth Mile (Enugu)–Otukpo–Makurdi challenge was listed beneath ERGP12234171 as a multilateral/bilateral tied mortgage, with a proposed allocation of N367,902,737,115.
- The challenge coated the development of Lafia Highway and the dualisation of the ninth Mile–Otukpo–Makurdi route beneath Keffi Part II, a strategic hall linking elements of the North-Central and South-East areas.
- The dimensions of the allocation indicated that the challenge could be largely financed by exterior borrowing, reasonably than direct budgetary releases, a mannequin generally adopted for capital-intensive federal freeway initiatives.
The Appropriation Invoice particulars additional categorized the challenge as ongoing, inserting it amongst a number of long-term highway works being supervised by the Ministry of Works.
Different notable ongoing initiatives beneath the Ministry of Works
Past the Lafia–Makurdi hall, the 2026 finances consists of a number of different vital ongoing initiatives beneath the Ministry of Works.
- Amongst these is the dualisation of the Kano–Katsina Highway (Part II), allotted N52.5 billion, and Part I of the identical hall, which acquired N23.8 billion.
- Funding was additionally supplied for multinational counterpart initiatives, such because the Lafia Bypass and the ninth Mile (Enugu)–Otukpo–Makurdi Highway, with an allocation of N23.8 billion.
- Different ongoing works embrace the dualisation of the Kano–Maiduguri Highway (Part I: Kano–Wudil–Shuarin, 105 km), allotted N13.3 billion, the reconstruction of the Ikorodu–Itoikin Highway in Lagos State with N12.6 billion, and the reconstruction of the Abuja–Lokoja Highway (Zuba–Abaji part) at N7.7 billion.
The development of the Ikot Ekpene border–Aba–Owerri dualisation additionally acquired N7.7 billion, whereas the rehabilitation of the Numan–Jalingo Highway was allotted N7.0 billion.
Extra insights
The dualisation of the Kano–Maiduguri Highway (Damaturu–Maiduguri part) was allotted N7.0 billion, whereas the reconstruction of the Mubi–Maiduguri Highway (Part 3) acquired N7.01 billion.
The Ministry of Works’ 2026 allocations additionally included different main ongoing and deliberate gadgets.
The contingency fund (ERGP1247779) was assigned N100 billion, whereas proposed new initiatives throughout six geopolitical zones (ERGP1247780) had been allotted N600 billion; nevertheless, the Appropriation Invoice didn’t present specifics on these initiatives.
These allocations spotlight the dimensions of funding deliberate for the nation’s highway infrastructure. In addition they show that ongoing initiatives, alongside new initiatives, kind a considerable a part of the Ministry’s proposed 2026 spending.
What you must know
The Federal Authorities has lengthy famous that sustaining Nigeria’s 35,000-kilometre federal highway community can not depend on budgetary allocations alone.
Roads funded by such different preparations are sometimes tolled to get better funding and guarantee long-term sustainability.
Be First to Comment