Buhari, Says Nigeria Represents Evidence of African Renaissance in Road Transportation

• Says infrastructure investment is good for the economy

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that Nigeria’s massive investment in road transport is an evidence of the unfolding African renaissance of growth and economic development, pointing out that investment in infrastructure is an investment for the economy.

President Buhari said this at the 7th Edition of the Africa Road Builders-Trophee Babacar Ndiaye Inaugural Conference which was held in Abuja in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Thursday 31 March, 2022.

The Nigerian President who won the 2021 Babacar Ndiaye Award for his contribution to massive roads development in Nigeria was represented at the Conference by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr.  Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN.

President Buhari who said Africa’s long awaited renaissance has begun to unfold inside Africa’s largest country by population and Gross Domestic Product, declared, “It is a day of Pride for the African Union and her dreams for the continent. The policies and programmes that have been inaugurated over the years are beginning to bear fruits and results.”

He said the Trans African Highway Programme, launched in 1971, sought to connect the whole of Africa through a major system of nine (9) highways, the TAH1 to the TAH9 covering an aggregate distance of 56,683kilometers.

Listing Nigeria’s sections of the Trans Africa highway under construction to include: The Lagos-Badagry Corridor which is being financed through Tax Credit Scheme under Executive Order No. 7 in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, the President added, “Nigeria is making giant strides in roads development through the Trans African Highway 2, 7 and 8 which connect Algiers to Lagos as well as Lagos to Mombasa.”  These Trans African connections are rebuilding, expanding and replacing strategic highways and bridges across our country.

He said the Apapa-Oworonshoki Highway in Lagos is strategic for trade and business facilitation to support Nigeria’s  busiest and largest Sea Port in Apapa and Tin Can Island, adding that the Suleja-Minna Highway which according to him, is receiving attention is also critical to the Nation’s petroleum distribution network and access to strategic petroleum products depot in Niger State, while the Calabar-Itu-Odukpani  Highway   unlocks access to agricultural produce and supports mining and extractive activities for construction in the South South and South Eastern parts of Nigeria.

President Buhari described the partnership with the African Development Bank as productive, adding that the results are now manifest in projects like the Mfum-Bamenda Bridge that connects Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon.

The Africa Road Builders-Babacar Ndiaye Trophee is a series of conferences on road transport and mobility stakeholders in Africa sponsored by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The event aims to promote road development and transport in Africa by rewarding each year an African Head of State for road and transport successes in his country.

At the closing of the inaugural Conference, the President of Tanzania, Her Excellency Mrs. Samia Hassan Salihou was announced the winner of the 2022 Great Prize to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari for a similar effort in her country in roads and infrastructure development

Presentations from road transport stakeholders and partners were made by representatives of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Infrastructural Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO),  Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

In his presentation, the Group Managing Director/ CEO NNPC Limited Mallam Mele Kyari represented by Mr. Adeyemi Adetunji said the initiative led by Journalists and sponsored by the African Development Bank demonstrates the collective commitment of African countries to growth and prosperity through cooperation between countries.

He said NNPC was participating in road infrastructure development in Nigeria through the Tax Credit Scheme.

Under the scheme, he said NNPC, is providing funding to the tune of Six Hundred and Twenty-One Billion Naira (N621 billion) for the rehabilitation of 1,804.6 kilometres of identified Federal roads. He stated that road infrastructure remains one of the most critical aspects of national development which unlocks many socio-economic benefits for Nigerian citizens.