Nigeria To Spend N29.2bn For Roads To Niger Republic Borders

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved that award of two roads contracts linking Nigeria’s borders with the Republic of Niger, totalling N29.2bn.

President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the FEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

One of the roads, Kurnya-Babura-Niger Republic border road, is in the sum of N19.7bn, and passes through Jigawa State.

The second road, Bale-Kurdella-Niger Republic border, is through Sokoto State and terminates at the country’s border with Niger.

The sum of N9.5bn was approved for the road on Wednesday by the FEC.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Works/Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, said the roads would promote business across the borders.

He added that the roads would position Nigeria for effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

The minister said, “It is not only critical to execute our mandate under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and ministerial mandate to improve infrastructure, but also for the enablement of business across borders particularly now that we have taken an affirmative position of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

“The market in that area of the country (Nigeria/Niger borders) does a lot of trade across borders. So, this is a good boost for business as well.”

Wednesday’s FEC session also approved N1.2bn for two projects in the Ministry of Aviation.

It approved N591.8m for refurbishment of the office of the Accident Investigation Bureau in Abuja and another N645.4m for the establishment of a training school in Abuja for the AIB.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, explained further, “The sum is inclusive of the equipment in the laboratory. It has laboratory components and these equipment are from their manufacturers, through the representatives of those manufacturers.

“They will be certified by International Civil Aviation Organisation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, which is the regulator of the industry in Nigeria.”