Tinubu Administration Commissions 30.58km Abuja-Kano Expressway Section in Kano
The Federal Government has inaugurated a 30.58-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway in Kano State as part of efforts to complete major road projects inherited from previous administrations.
The commissioning ceremony, held on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, was performed by Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, said the project reflected the administration’s commitment to completing critical infrastructure and improving transportation across the country.
Umahi said the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway remained a priority because of its strategic importance to trade, agriculture, industry and the movement of people between the Federal Capital Territory and major cities in Northern Nigeria.
He explained that the project had experienced delays under the previous contract due to escalating construction costs and slow execution, leaving substantial sections unfinished before the Tinubu administration took office.
According to him, President Tinubu directed the Ministry of Works to ensure the completion of the outstanding sections and the delivery of a durable road network that would meet established safety and quality standards.
The minister further disclosed that the President had directed the extension of the Kano section of the expressway to Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.
He said Lot 1, covering 118 kilometres at an estimated cost of ₦252 billion, had been completed.
Umahi noted that continuously reinforced concrete pavement technology had been adopted on substantial portions of the expressway to improve its lifespan, reduce maintenance requirements and maximise the value of public funds invested in the project.
He added that solar-powered streetlights installed along the road would improve nighttime visibility and provide safer driving conditions.
The minister described the expressway as an important national corridor that links the Federal Capital Territory with major commercial and administrative centres in the North-West.
He said the road would facilitate the transportation of agricultural produce, industrial goods and other commodities, while supporting economic activities and strengthening connections between communities.
Umahi also listed other federal road projects underway in the North-West, including the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Kano Northern Bypass, Kano-Katsina Road, Zaria-Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto Road and the dualisation of Section I of the Kano-Maiduguri Road.
He commended the Kano State Government and other stakeholders for their contributions to infrastructure development and the successful completion of the commissioned section.
The minister maintained that the Federal Government remained committed to completing ongoing road projects across the six geopolitical zones, describing quality infrastructure as essential to economic growth and national integration.
He also urged Nigerians to support President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, citing the administration’s infrastructure development efforts.
Governor Yusuf, in his remarks, thanked the President for prioritising the expressway’s completion, noting that the project would improve transportation, boost commercial activities and strengthen connectivity between Kano and neighbouring states.
He described the road as an important intervention for the state and the wider North-West, adding that the Federal Government’s decision to complete the outstanding works had prevented further delays to a critical infrastructure project.
The Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, said the commissioning demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to its infrastructure development programme.
Goronyo commended Tinubu for providing the leadership and policy direction needed to advance inherited road projects, while acknowledging the contributions of the Kano State Government and other stakeholders.
The occasion also featured the commissioning of two urban road projects executed by the Kano State Government: the rehabilitation of Audu Bako Way and the dualisation of Nassarawa Hospital Roads.
The projects, implemented under the state’s urban renewal programme, are expected to improve traffic flow, ease congestion and enhance movement within Kano metropolis.
The Director of Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. David Yiltong, said the 30.58-kilometre section comprised completed asphaltic pavement at the Kano end of the expressway and an additional section along the Karfi and Kunkumi axis.
Yiltong explained that the completed works had improved the road’s condition, reduced motorists’ discomfort and enhanced access to communities and commercial centres along the corridor.
He added that the improvements, including streetlighting, would support safer journeys and more efficient transportation.
The Engineer’s Representative, Engr. Chukwuma Kalu Igwe, said the project involved pavement construction and rehabilitation, asphalt surfacing, drainage improvements, road structures, streetlights, CCTV cameras and other supporting infrastructure.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, commended the Federal Government for completing the outstanding sections, describing the expressway as essential to Kano’s commercial and industrial activities.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, also praised Tinubu for providing the political will to address longstanding infrastructure challenges, while acknowledging Umahi’s engineering background and contribution to road development.
The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement for the North-West Zone, Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, said the engineering backgrounds of Umahi and Governor Yusuf offered a common basis for advancing infrastructure development at both federal and state levels.
The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruk Umar Faruk, also praised the President for supporting the completion of major infrastructure projects initiated by previous administrations, particularly those started under the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
The monarch dismissed suggestions that the Tinubu administration was working against Northern Nigeria, pointing to the completion of major projects as evidence of its commitment to national development and the region’s progress.
He further expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Muhammed Aminu Ahmed, said the commissioning underscored the importance of infrastructure to economic growth, employment generation and national integration.
He commended the Minister of Works for his leadership and engineering expertise, while appreciating the Kano State Government, contractors, consultants, supervising engineers and security agencies for their support.
Among the dignitaries present were Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory Mariya Mahmoud, former governors, legislators and representatives of the Kano and Zazzau Emirates.
The Federal Ministry of Works said it would continue to prioritise the completion of critical federal road projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda, with the aim of improving connectivity, stimulating economic activities and enhancing the quality of life of Nigerians.
