The Federal Government has announced plans to introduce tolls on major roads across the country following the completion of ongoing construction and renovation projects.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, revealed this during an Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja, part of activities marking Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.
“We have the Lagos-Ibadan (Expressway we are completing it and we are tolling it,” Umahi said.
Other key road projects, such as the Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano Road, and Makurdi-9th Mile, among others, will also be tolled, according to the minister.
The former governor of Ebonyi State said that the tolling system is expected to generate substantial revenue for the Federal Government.
According to Umahi, private sector investors have been engaged to provide funds for the construction of these roads, in collaboration with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Works, to ensure the effective management of the toll system.
Speaking about the Keffi-Makurdi Road, which has been completed, Umahi noted that the government is working on a paperless payment system in partnership with the Ministry of Finance.
He assured that road users will see significant improvements in safety and convenience, factors he believes will encourage public acceptance of tolls.
“For example, we are completing the Lagos-Ibadan, we are working on Makurdi to 9th Mile in Enugu State, we are working from Abuja to Lagos. These roads are going to be tolled. But we are not just tolling them, we are bringing confidence in the use of these roads.
“If people can travel at night because we are bringing security, where the response time will be 10 minutes on the entire corridor, where you have solar light permanently there and then reduce travel time, and through the tolling, the roads are maintained, then, there will be confidence because Nigerians will pay if the roads are good,” Umahi said.
The minister further explained that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is treating road development as an investment, unlike previous administrations. He revealed that the current government inherited 300 damaged roads and bridges, and assured that new road construction projects would commence in all six geopolitical zones starting from October 1, 2024.(Guardian)
