Works Minister Dave Umahi believes Nigerians are willing to pay for quality roads, provided their safety and comfort are ensured.

 

 

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, stated that the Federal Government will introduce tolls on major highways across the country once construction and renovation are completed.

 

 

“We’re tolling the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as it nears completion,” Umahi remarked on Thursday in Abuja during an Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing, part of Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary activities.

 

 

He identified several key routes such as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano Road, and the Makurdi-9th Mile stretch.

 

 

The former Ebonyi State governor emphasized that tolling these federal roads “will generate substantial revenue for the government.”

 

 

Umahi mentioned that private sector partners have been brought in “to secure funding, build these roads, and work with both the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Works to toll the roads.”

 

 

He announced that the Keffi-Makurdi Road, already completed, would be the first to have tolls, with the ministry collaborating with the Ministry of Finance to establish a cashless payment system.

 

 

He said, “For instance, we are finishing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and working on the Makurdi to 9th Mile stretch in Enugu State, as well as the Abuja to Lagos route. These roads will all be tolled. However, it’s not just about tolling. We’re ensuring safety and efficiency on these roads.

 

 

“If people can travel at night, knowing there’s security and a response time of 10 minutes across the entire route, with solar lighting and reduced travel times, and if the tolls help maintain the roads, Nigerians will be more confident and willing to pay for well-maintained roads.”

 

 

Umahi also noted that road projects have not previously been treated as investments, but under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, road development is being approached with a more professional outlook.

 

 

The administration inherited 300 damaged roads and bridges, with new projects scheduled to begin from October 1, 2024, across the six geopolitical zones.”