Residents, commuters applaud concrete road technology on Abuja-Kaduna Highway

By Egena Sunday Ode

Residents and commuters along the Abuja-Kaduna Super Highway have praised the introduction of concrete pavement technology on the ongoing Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Super Highway project, describing it as a durable solution to the persistent deterioration of major roads in the country.

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

The tour, organised in collaboration with the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, commenced with a visit to the completed concrete pavement stretch from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Jere in Kaduna State.

The road forms Section One of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Super Highway, one of the flagship infrastructure projects of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration aimed at improving connectivity,
enhancing road safety and boosting economic activities across northern Nigeria.

The Zuba-Jere section has drawn attention for its transition from conventional asphalt to reinforced concrete pavement, a technology expected to withstand heavy traffic and reduce frequent maintenance.

Speaking with newsmen during the inspection, Onanuga said the exercise was designed to assess project completion levels, verify quality standards and provide citizens with accurate updates on government projects.

He said, “Every government must endeavour to blow its trumpet. What we have done is to showcase what the President has achieved in the last two years and seven months of his administration.

“The government has done a lot. It is incredible that some people still say the President has done nothing. You can now see for yourselves that many projects are ongoing, and these are only road projects.”

Onanuga added that the highway project reflects the administration’s commitment to modernising Nigeria’s transport infrastructure through durable and cost-effective engineering solutions.

Also speaking, Resident Engineer of the Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Chukwuma Kalu, disclosed that the contractor had completed 88 kilometres of concrete pavement from Zuba to Jere, while 21 kilometres had been covered on the inbound lane from Kaduna to Jere.

Senior Project Manager of Infiouest International, the company handling the concrete pavement section of the highway, Mr. Robert Turner, said over 1,000 Nigerians from host communities had been employed on the project.

According to him, the workforce includes engineers, machine operators and labourers, all drawn locally.

He said security support for the project was being provided by the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Army and host communities.

Turner expressed confidence that Section One would be delivered on schedule, while Section Two is targeted for completion by November 2026.

He added that workers operate day and night, laying between 600 and 700 metres of concrete pavement daily.

Residents and motorists who spoke during the visit welcomed the federal government’s intervention, noting that the project would ease travel challenges between Abuja and Kaduna while strengthening access to other parts of northern Nigeria.

They described the use of concrete technology as a long-awaited innovation capable of withstanding intense vehicular pressure and reducing the cycle of repeated repairs.

The Presidential Media Team reaffirmed its commitment to keeping Nigerians informed on the progress of government projects and ensuring transparency in public infrastructure delivery.