The Federal Government has ordered contractors handling the expansion of the Abuja-Keffi Expressway to commence night construction to ease the daily gridlock faced by thousands of commuters on the critical route into the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, who gave the directive on Thursday during an inspection of the project, said the measure became necessary as motorists endure worsening congestion, especially around the Nyanya-Maraba axis.
He also reaffirmed its commitment to completing the ongoing Abuja-Keffi road rehabilitation project within the stipulated deadline of December 2026.
The Abuja-Keffi dual carriageway, one of the busiest entry points into Abuja, serves as a lifeline for thousands of civil servants, traders, and residents commuting daily from Nasarawa State and neighbouring towns into the FCT.
For years, the road has been plagued by traffic snarls, flooding and poor drainage, making it a source of daily frustration.
Goronyo explained that while significant progress had been recorded on the Keffi-bound section, a three-kilometre stretch of the Abuja-bound carriageway remained a major challenge due to flooding and waterlogging.
Goronyo said the government understands the plight of commuters and has therefore ordered the contractor to adopt immediate measures, including night works, to ease the hardship faced by road users.
“As you are aware, this work started in December 2024 and is supposed to be completed by a specific date. It’s a 43.6-kilometre road from the Keffi bound. Already, 41 kilometres have been completed up to Binder, therefore 50 per cent completion.
“This trouble area, as I said, is precisely three kilometres, and we realised that there is a lot of water that is flooding these three kilometres from this area. Many people from the Keffi and Nyanya axis are experiencing numerous problems crossing into Abuja city.
“We immediately directed the contractor that is handling this project to come and do some palliative measures and then to provide a route where you will be able to pass the water, to be able to have a more trouble-free route so that passengers and commuters that are plying this route will have easy access.
“But we cannot do it in the afternoon or in the morning. So, we directed that the contractor should concentrate on doing this job at night so that we will be able to finish it in time, so that people will have ease of travel. But this cannot be done during the day without worsening congestion. Therefore, the contractor must concentrate on night construction to deliver results quickly,” the minister said.
He stressed that the completion period remains sacrosanct, warning that the government would not tolerate delays.
“The completion period of December 2026 is sacrosanct. This road is too important to Nigerians for any excuses. The contractor must fully mobilise and ensure timely delivery.
“We are here as a ministry, with the controller, the acting director of the North Central Zone, and the contractor, to assess the level of work and give clear directives that we don’t want to see this persistent hold up,” Goronyo stated.
The project, spanning 43.6 kilometres, which will gulp a total sum of N73.9bn, is being executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
It is funded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and was awarded in April 2023. Construction began in December 2023 with an initial completion date of May 2026, though the ministry insists it must be delivered before the December 2026 deadline.
Out of the total stretch, 41 kilometres on the Keffi-bound section have been completed, representing 50 per cent progress.
Accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry of Works and representatives of the contractor, the minister assured that the government would intensify monitoring to ensure commuters begin to feel relief.
On his part, the Project Manager of China Harbour, Dong Hong, pledged that the firm would meet the deadline.
“We are confident we can finish this project on schedule and deliver the highest quality. Much of our work is now being done at night to meet the target,” he said.
The Abuja-Keffi expressway is one of several major road projects being executed under the tax credit scheme, a model introduced to encourage private sector funding of critical infrastructure.
With traffic volumes expected to rise further as Abuja expands, government officials say completing the project on time is crucial to ending the daily hardship for thousands of road users.
