Tinubu commissions N7km Abuja Airport bypass road

By Stanley Onyekwere

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday commissioned a vital 7-kilometer access road and a major four-span bridge linking Bill Clinton Drive to the Tungan Madaki settlement in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The infrastructure project beautifully bypasses the airport’s second runway, creating a direct connection to Zuba and linking the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) with the Gwagwalada Area Council.

The project was initiated to address severe structural challenges caused by the construction of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport’s second runway.

Local host communities had surrendered their ancestral lands for the critical national aviation asset but were left cut off from the FCT’s economic center without access roads.

Speaking at the commissioning, President Tinubu, who was represented by Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, emphasized that national progress should never come at the expense of everyday citizens.

“For years, the paradox remained. These patriotic communities gave up land for airplanes to fly, yet they had no motorable roads for their own feet and vehicles.

“No citizen should be made a victim of national development. We do not just take; we build, we replace, and we elevate,” he stated.

The President highly commended the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, for his rapid execution of the infrastructure corridor. Following presidential approval in February 2025, the project was delivered by the contractors, CCECC Nigeria Limited, in just 16 months.

“Barrister Nyesom Wike, you are ‘Mr. Project’, and you have not disappointed,” Tinubu stated, noting the minister’s strict oversight.

“No excuses. No stories. Just delivery. That is the standard Nigerians deserve,” he stated.

Marking a series of project commissions at the three-year milestone of his administration, Tinubu used the platform to speak plainly to Nigerians about the country’s ongoing economic reforms.

“The reforms we embarked on three years ago were never going to be easy. We made hard choices. But they were necessary choices,” Tinubu said, acknowledging the current biting cost of living.

“We are not building for headlines. We are building for generations to come. We will keep working day and night until every Nigerian feels the impact of good governance.”

Earlier in his opening remarks, Wike praised the resilience of the Tungan Madaki community, highlighting that they chose to request sustainable development—jobs for their youths and roads—over disruptive financial compensation demands.

Wike also issued a stern warning to illegal developers looking to exploit the new corridor.

“This road corridor is not for illegal encroachment. This infrastructure is meant for the host communities, and we will protect it,” the Minister said.

The newly commissioned route serves three distinct strategic purposes for the FCT as it secures the perimeter of the airport’s critical aviation assets by ensuring local commuter traffic does not interfere with high-security flight zones.

Also, it significantly eases traffic gridlock along Bill Clinton Drive, creating a smoother transit experience for travelers, the resilient four-span bridge ensures that local farmers can transport produce and children can attend school safely through both dry and rainy seasons.