Niger Govt, Firm sign agreement for the construction of 556km roads across 25 LGAs

Following its resolve to address the infrastructural deficit across the state, the Niger State Government has signed a contract agreement with a private firm to provide consultancy services for the construction of five hundred and fifty-six kilometers (556km) of roads across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state.

Making this known in a statement by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman and made available to newsmen on Sunday, the government said the aim is to boost economic growth within the State.

According to the SSG, the State struggles with an infrastructural deficit exceeding over seventy percent, with its road network standing at the core of this challenge, for Niger State to achieve sustainable economic growth, developing a good road network is key to achieving the goal.

He further revealed that the road construction will promote agriculture, trade, industry, and commerce among the populace and help the State to achieve higher economic growth. It will also create a cost-effective and secured movement of goods, bolstering both the safety and well-being of road users.

"A total of twenty-four identified roads, spanning a collective distance of 556 km, consisting of 100km Minna township road, 50km each in Bida, Suleja and Kontagora towns, 5km in each of the 17 Local Government areas, Rafi, Agwara - Borgu 90km, Rijau - Kontagora 90km and dualization of Kakaki to Minna 41km respectively".

Usman further hinted that due process has been followed which will be on a performance-based contract and expected to be funded by a consortium of banks, the loans are to be repaid through the increased Internal Generation Revenue (IGR), improved Federal allocation owing to the removal of fuel subsidy and major roads that can be tolled.

He asserted that the exercise is to be concluded on the fifth of September, giving way for the groundbreaking scheduled to commence by November 2023 and project completion by December 2025.