Tinubu: No Community Should Suffer for Development as Abuja Airport Road Opens

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday said no Nigerian community should suffer neglect in the name of national development as he commissioned a 7-kilometre access road linking Bill Clinton Drive to Tungan Madaki Settlement in Abuja.

The project bypasses the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and includes a four-span bridge designed to improve connectivity around one of the capital’s busiest transport hubs.

Tinubu was represented at the commissioning by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. He said the administration is committed to ensuring that communities hosting critical national infrastructure are not abandoned after making sacrifices for public projects.

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According to him, the new road was conceived to correct years of neglect faced by residents of Tungan Madaki and surrounding settlements who gave up ancestral lands for the expansion of the airport but were left without adequate road access.

He described the project as more than a transport link, calling it a strategic corridor that would enhance movement, improve security around the airport, and open up economic opportunities for residents.

He recalled that during the construction of the airport’s second runway, host communities willingly surrendered their land in the national interest. However, he noted that the absence of basic infrastructure in those areas created a long-standing imbalance that the government is now working to address.

“The paradox remained that these communities gave up land for aircraft to fly, yet they lacked motorable roads for themselves,” he said, adding that such situations should no longer exist under current development planning.

Tinubu said the administration is rolling out infrastructure projects across the country with a focus on fairness, inclusion and balanced growth, especially in areas affected by major federal installations.

He added that improved access to the airport corridor would ease traffic congestion, reduce travel time and support commercial activities in adjoining communities.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, speaking on behalf of the President, praised the Federal Capital Territory Administration for delivering the project, describing it as a model of inclusive infrastructure development.

He said the road demonstrates the importance of integrating host communities into national planning rather than allowing them to be sidelined after major projects are completed.

Residents of Tungan Madaki and nearby areas are expected to benefit from improved mobility, better access to urban centres and new economic opportunities as the corridor becomes more active.

The Federal Government said the project aligns with its broader push to modernise infrastructure while ensuring that development directly benefits communities that host strategic national assets.