Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has been nominated for the 2025 Infrastructure Champion of the Year award by Independent Newspaper. The nomination recognises the governor’s sustained investment in road construction and rehabilitation projects across the state, with analysts citing a strategic, people-focused approach aimed at improving connectivity and economic activity.
Within three years in office, the Sani administration has initiated approximately 150 road projects covering around 1,345 kilometres across all 23 local government areas. This marks a significant expansion compared to previous years when several LGAs reportedly had no completed road infrastructure. The projects span the state’s three senatorial zones and include a mix of completed works and ongoing developments. Several long-abandoned projects, some dormant for over a decade, have been revived and completed.
In rural areas, roads such as the Turawa–Dinya route in Soba LGA have improved mobility for farmers, while the Pambeguwa–Kauru road, featuring a bridge, has strengthened economic links between Kubau and Kauru LGAs. Urban infrastructure has also seen upgrades, including road improvements in Zaria and internal road networks within Ahmadu Bello University, as well as access routes to the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia.
Commercial centres have benefited from completed township roads in Sabon Gari and other LGAs, alongside ongoing projects aimed at strengthening local economies. Flagship projects highlighted include the Gadan Gayan–Gwaraji–Kujama road—described as one of the longest completed in the state in over two decades—and the Bagoma–Gagumi road in Birnin Gwari. Key urban expansion projects, such as the Millennium City Ring Road and major dual carriageways, are also ongoing.
In Southern Kaduna, completed and ongoing road projects are improving access to healthcare facilities, markets, and tourist locations, including routes linked to Matsirga Waterfalls. Reacting to the nomination, the Managing Director of the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), Abdullahi Baba Ahmad, described the state’s infrastructure strategy as continuous and inclusive. “This isn’t episodic—it’s continuous, inclusive, and purposeful,” he said, adding that projects are prioritised around markets, hospitals, universities, and industrial hubs.
According to the organisers, Governor Sani is nominated alongside four other governors. The winner will be announced at the 2025 Independent Awards ceremony scheduled to hold on April 18, 2026, at the Eko Hotel & Suites. The event, marking the silver jubilee edition of the awards, will be chaired by the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, while the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, will serve as Royal Father of the Day.
