By Faridat Salifu
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have called for urgent resolution of the bottlenecks delaying the take‑off of the $263.8 million Abia State Integrated Infrastructural Development (ABSIID) project.
A joint delegation from the Federal Government and the AfDB, led by Dr. Oyebola Akande of the Ministry of Finance, visited Umuahia to discuss ways to accelerate the stalled project.
Officials said two years of the five‑year implementation timeline have already been lost due to delays, raising concerns that the project’s impact could be undermined if action is not taken swiftly.
The ABSIID initiative, launched in July 2025, is a multi‑sector infrastructure programme aimed at rehabilitating over 248 kilometres of roads, improving waste management systems and tackling erosion challenges across Abia State.
Key components include 126 kilometres of roads in Aba and 35.57 kilometres in Umuahia, along with environmental interventions designed to improve urban infrastructure.
Dr. Akande emphasised that the state, federal government and the AfDB all have roles to play in speeding up implementation so the project can deliver the expected benefits.
Sheila Akyza, representing the AfDB, described ABSIID as one of the most impactful projects secured by the current administration and reiterated the bank’s commitment to its speedy execution.
Responding to the delegation, Abia State Governor Alex Otti said the delays stemmed from a communication gap rather than institutional inefficiency and pledged immediate action to resolve outstanding issues.
Governor Otti said that although he had not been fully briefed on the project’s status, steps would be taken to ensure the project flags off by April.
The financing package for the ABSIID project includes $115 million from the AfDB, $125 million from the Islamic Development Bank and $23.8 million in counterpart funding from Abia State.
The ABSIID initiative also includes social impact components such as the creation of over 3,000 temporary construction jobs, 1,000 permanent roles, and skills development support for women and youth entrepreneurs.
Abia State has also been advancing other major development efforts, including foreign‑backed climate finance investments and renewable energy programmes, signalling broader efforts to improve infrastructure across the state.
