By Faridat Salifu
Minister of Works, David Umahi, says the legacy infrastructure projects under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are expected to significantly boost agricultural productivity across Nigeria.
Umahi stated this on Saturday during an inspection of major federal government projects in Ebonyi State by the Presidential Communications Team as part of the Renewed Hope Media Tour in the South-East.
The media team, led by Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, toured key project sites to assess ongoing infrastructure delivery and highlight federal and state collaboration under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The delegation also included Presidential Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, alongside other presidential aides on media and public engagement.
The tour began at the Government House in Abakaliki, where Onanuga said the exercise was aimed at giving Nigerians firsthand information on ongoing infrastructure projects across the country.
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru received the delegation and assured adequate security for the inspection exercise while commending the Federal Government for its infrastructure investments in Ebonyi State and the wider South-East region.
The team inspected ongoing construction on the Calabar–Abuja Trans-Sahara Super Highway, including a 90-metre link bridge in Section One and concrete pavement works along the Onueke axis.
They also visited the 1.3-kilometre Ndi-Egbe Bridge in Afikpo Local Government Area, which connects Ebonyi State with Cross River State and is expected to be completed by December 2026.
The Calabar–Abuja corridor links Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue, Nasarawa states and the Federal Capital Territory, and is being developed as a major economic and transport artery.
Umahi said Section One of the project was originally designed as a 118-kilometre single carriageway but was later expanded to a 123.6-kilometre dualised highway at a cost of N445 billion.
He added that procurement for the dualised section was ongoing, while Section Two would extend through Ebonyi into Benue and Kogi states, terminating at the Loko-Oweto Bridge in Nasarawa State.
According to him, the infrastructure projects are expected to support agriculture by improving road access for farm produce, strengthening market linkages, and enhancing regional trade flows.
Umahi also noted that the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway would incorporate more than 73 dams to support irrigation farming, while the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and other road projects would further improve connectivity and agricultural investment opportunities.
He said the projects reflect a broader government strategy to stimulate agricultural production, create jobs, and strengthen food systems through improved infrastructure.
The inspection team also visited a completed section of the Ebonyi–Cross River link road stretching from Okposi-Ukawu to Ugwulangu-Abaomege.
Umahi stressed that sustained investment in road and water infrastructure remains key to unlocking Nigeria’s agricultural potential and boosting rural economies.