Nigeria Sets December 2027 Deadline for Makurdi-Otukpo-Enugu Highway Completion

Nigeria's Federal Government has established a firm target of December 2027 for the full completion of the vital Makurdi–Otukpo–Obolo-Affor–9th Mile Enugu dual carriageway. This strategic infrastructure project aims to significantly improve transportation links between the North Central and South East regions of the country.

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This highway is the second phase of the Abuja-Akwanga-Nasarawa-Makurdi corridor, extending the dualisation from Makurdi through Otukpo and Obollo-Afor to Enugu.

Eng. Mukaila Danladi, the Federal Controller of Works in Benue State, announced the timeline during an inspection by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors. He detailed that the 258-kilometer dual carriageway has been divided into five segments to expedite its completion. Despite challenging weather conditions, significant progress has been made, with 86 kilometers of binder course already laid on both carriageways.

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From what we have seen so far, even though we have not completed this road, it has shortened the travel time between Makurdi and Otukpo. From what I gathered, the road was so bad that from Makurdi to Otukpo it used to take about three hours. But now, just about one and a half hours or so, we are in Otukpo.

The project, which represents the second phase of the Abuja-Akwanga-Nasarawa-Makurdi corridor, is financed through a combination of a loan from the China EXIM Bank and counterpart funding from the Federal Government. The construction is being carried out by the China Harbour Engineering Company.

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This road is linking the North Central and the South East. If you are able to link all parts of Nigeria, it shows you that we are improving the connectivity across our states.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga lauded the initiative, asserting that President Bola Tinubu deserves commendation for his administration's focus on infrastructure development. Onanuga highlighted the expressway's potential to strengthen national connectivity, stimulate commerce, and promote integration. He noted the substantial reduction in travel time between Makurdi and Otukpo, from approximately three hours to about one and a half, as evidence of the project's immediate impact.

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This will, no doubt, boost not just passenger traffic, also business as people will be able to move goods across all the borders, all the state borders.