FEC Approves Major Road Projects, Swears In INEC Commissioner

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Thursday approved a sweeping set of infrastructure projects, including major road contracts across Nigeria, while also swearing in a new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commissioner and four permanent secretaries during its 5th meeting of the year in Abuja.

At the opening of the meeting, President Bola Tinubu administered the oath of office to Rear Admiral (rtd) Aisha Marafa as INEC commissioner following her confirmation by the National Assembly. Marafa, one of the few women to attain the rank of Rear Admiral in the Nigerian Navy before her retirement in 2023, joins the electoral body as part of ongoing reforms. Four newly appointed permanent secretaries were also sworn in.

The Council, which deliberated on a 32-point agenda, later approved 10 major capital projects presented by the Ministry of Works, spanning highways, bridges, and legacy road corridors across the country.

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Among the key approvals is the dualisation of the Suleja–Minna road, split into two lots and awarded to CGC and CCCC at a combined cost of over ₦180 billion. The project will be executed using reinforced concrete pavement.

FEC also approved the reconstruction of the 122.8-kilometre Mando–Birnin Gwari road in Kaduna State at a cost of ₦178 billion, featuring a mix of asphalt and reinforced concrete designs to accelerate delivery.

Another major approval covered a revised arrangement for a section of the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe corridor under the government’s legacy highway programme. The project, originally awarded under a different structure, was revalidated under a joint venture arrangement to enable execution.

A major highlight was the approval for the complete reconstruction of the critical Kato Bridge, which will now be rebuilt at a cost of nearly ₦549 billion after structural assessments concluded that full demolition was necessary due to severe underwater deterioration.

The Council also approved extensions and upgrades on key economic corridors, including the Bodo–Bonny road extension in Rivers State, valued at ₦151 billion, and additional sections of the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, a flagship national infrastructure corridor.

According to the Ministry of Works, several legacy projects under the Tinubu administration are currently at advanced stages of completion, with multiple sections of national highways already completed or set for commissioning in the coming months across the North, South-West, South-East, and South-South regions.

The government maintained that all projects were structured to improve connectivity, reduce travel time, and boost economic activity nationwide, with a combination of federal funding and external financing arrangements supporting execution.

FEC is expected to continue reviewing additional infrastructure and policy proposals in subsequent meetings as part of ongoing national development programmes.