FCT Wike: Airport-Kuje Highway 73% Complete in May

Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, announced that the Stage 1 development of the 8.6-kilometre Highway 105, linking the Airport Expressway to Kuje Junction, has reached 73 per cent completion. The minister provided this update following a joint inspection of the project and the adjacent 13-kilometre Kuje to Gwagwalada Dual Carriageway in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Airport Expressway to Kuje Junction project was awarded to Arab Contractors on February 2, 2022, with an initial 48-month delivery timeline. Minister Wike expressed optimism that the accelerated pace of work would see its completion and handover by May. He conveyed satisfaction with both the speed and quality of the construction, highlighting the road’s critical role in the infrastructure agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The second project under review, the Kuje to Gwagwalada Dual Carriageway, is reported to be 65 per cent complete. The minister indicated that, barring unforeseen delays, the carriageway is scheduled for inauguration by the first week of June or by the end of the month. He noted that this route provides a vital alternative link, allowing traffic between Gwagwalada and the city centre to bypass the heavily utilised Airport Expressway.

Upon completion, both corridors are projected to deliver substantial benefits. They are expected to significantly ease traffic congestion along the primary airport corridor, reduce travel times for commuters, and stimulate economic activity by improving connectivity between key residential and commercial zones within the FCT. The minister underscored that these outcomes align directly with the administration’s objective of enhancing urban mobility and quality of life for residents.

The projects represent major investments in the FCT’s road network. Their timely delivery is positioned as a benchmark for public works execution and a key indicator of the federal government’s commitment to upgrading infrastructure in the capital territory. The minister’s inspection and subsequent statements reaffirm the government’s focus on completing these arterial routes within revised, expedited timeframes.