FG Launches Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Makurdi Highway Tolls

By: Patience Ande

The Federal Government has launched tolling operations on the 227.2km Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Highway.

Accordingly, the inauguration and grand opening was at the Garaku Toll Plaza in Nasarawa State, Tuesday.

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, said that it is part of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative aimed at improving the country’s infrastructure through toll revenue.

According to him, cars will pay N500, SUVs and Jeeps N800, minibuses N1000, and multi-axle vehicles, trucks, and buses will be charged N1,600, while security, diplomatic vehicles, ambulances, and tricycles, are exempt from the tolling.

Umahi said that l roads are one of the critical infrastructure that drives growth and development.

He highlighted the significance of road infrastructure in the economic and social activities of the country.

The Works Minister, who was represented at the event by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, recalled that the Federal Government, under the previous administration in 2023, signed a 25-year toll concession agreement with MS China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company which is now taking off.

He explained that the road rehabilitation and upgrades were financed through a preferential credit loan from China Exim Bank, and therefore, the partnership aims to ensure the long-term sustainability and maintenance of the highway.

Umahi further explained that the agreement included provisions for a private party to toll and maintain the Highway, with the revenue generated being used to repay the loan.

The Minister said that the highway is the first of nine corridors being concessioned under the Highways Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) Phase 1 to commence tolling operations.

“This initiative is part of the government’s broader efforts to modernize and sustainably manage Nigeria’s road infrastructure,” he added.

The Minister announced that in the coming months, the Federal Government will continue launching and operationalizing the remaining toll corridors across all six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

He described the initiative as a significant milestone in the country’s infrastructure development; offering the government an opportunity to address poor road conditions and improve the overall quality of Nigeria’s road network; saying that the project is seen as a crucial step in modernizing and managing Nigeria’s highways effectively.

He remarked that the toll collection from the Highway would generate essential revenue for the maintenance and expansion of President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Road Agenda’; stressing that the Tinubu administration is dedicated to building a robust and interconnected infrastructure system aimed at driving socio-economic growth across Nigeria.

Umahi said: “This initiative aligns with the government’s broader vision of improving national infrastructure to support development and prosperity.”

These tolls are part of the effort to fund the maintenance and further development of the highway under the new public-private partnership initiative, the Minister emphasized.