The Federal Government is pursuing major road, electricity, agricultural and water infrastructure projects across the North-Central region, with the aim of improving connectivity, supporting businesses and expanding economic opportunities, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Dr Abiodun Essiet, has said.
Essiet spoke during a media engagement in Abuja organised by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council to present infrastructure interventions under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She highlighted projects across Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
Among the major road projects are the Buruku–Logo Bridge and Makurdi–Gboko Road in Benue State; the Mararaba–Keffi expansion; and the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri highway.
Others include the 401-kilometre Lambata–Bida–Mokwa–Makera–Kontagora highway, the Gwada–Shiroro Road and the approved completion of the Minna–Suleja Road in Niger State.
The Directorate also highlighted the proposed 477-kilometre Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja Superhighway, designed to connect the South-East with the North-Central and create an additional trade corridor.
Essiet said the projects were intended to improve the movement of agricultural produce, connect communities to markets and reduce transportation difficulties.
On rural electrification, Essiet said interventions under the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) had delivered 131 mini-grids and electrified 216 settlements across the region, with 344 additional projects in the pipeline.
She said the reported interventions also included 89 grid-extension projects, 9,970 solar streetlights and 6,689 solar home systems, with combined solar photovoltaic capacity of 44.4 megawatts.
According to the figures presented, Kogi State had 23 mini-grids and 5,443 solar streetlights, while Niger State had 42 mini-grids and 29 grid-extension projects.
Nasarawa, Benue, Kwara and Plateau states, alongside the FCT, also recorded mini-grid, grid-extension and solar-energy interventions.u
Essiet said the investments were expected to improve electricity access for households, businesses and public facilities, particularly in underserved communities.
In agriculture, she reported that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had delivered projects valued at ₦2.9 billion across 18 storage and post-harvest facilities in 22 states.
She also cited food purchases worth ₦460 million for strategic reserves and the release of 600 metric tonnes of food to victims of the Mokwa flood.
According to Essiet, the ministry had constructed 175.744 kilometres of asphalt roads and 57 kilometres of earth roads between 2024 and 2026, alongside boreholes, a water treatment plant, solar streetlights and rural markets.
Under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, she said 1,500 kilometres of rural roads had been completed as of August 2026, with travel time reportedly reduced by 63 per cent in beneficiary communities.
She added that ₦41.05 billion had been committed to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme, which targets increased investment and reduced post-harvest losses.
On irrigation, Essiet said ₦2.7 billion had been committed to 13 projects, including the Badeggi Irrigation Scheme in Bida, Niger State. More than 1,300 solar-powered pumps had also been supplied to farmers, she added.
In the livestock sector, she listed the rehabilitation of the Federal Veterinary Medical Centre in the FCT and the construction of seven model veterinary hospitals, including one in Niger State.
Other interventions included a national strategic vaccine storage facility in Kwali, Abuja, a feed reference laboratory in Keffi, Nasarawa State, and a dairy training centre in Paikon Kore, Abuja.
On power infrastructure, Essiet reported that the New Apo substation in the FCT was 93 per cent complete, while the West Main substation at Lugbe had reached 93.2 per cent completion.
She also put the completion level of the 143-kilometre Lafia–New Apo transmission line at 86.1 per cent.
In the water sector, she listed the completed Rafin Yashin Dam in Niger State, Odo-Ape Dam in Kogi State and Amla Dam in Benue State, saying the facilities would support irrigation across 2,728 hectares of farmland.
She further said the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Project was underway in 23 states, including six in the North-Central region, with a target of adding 40,000 hectares of irrigated farmland.
On steel development, Essiet said discussions were ongoing with a Chinese steel company on the proposed revival of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant and the National Iron Ore Mining Company.
She said technical inspections had been completed, while talks were continuing on a proposed long-term gas supply arrangement and the establishment of five mini-liquefied natural gas plants at Ajaokuta.
In aviation, she cited the deployment of a 20-kilometre fibre-optic backbone at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to support automated airport operations.
The engagement also featured the presentation of the North-Central Infrastructure Report and the Rural Electrification Agency’s regional impact report.
The Directorate said its objective was to keep residents informed about government projects and encourage community participation and accountability as implementation progresses.
