President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding infrastructure across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), saying ongoing projects are designed to promote inclusion, enhance safety and stimulate economic growth.
Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President spoke on Thursday during the inauguration of the rehabilitated 17-kilometre Old Keffi Road, stretching from Kado Village to Dei-Dei in Abuja.
Tinubu described the project as a clear demonstration of the dividends of democracy, stressing that government must deliver tangible benefits to the people.
“Government showing up where citizens live is the true dividend of democracy. We identify the pain, we fund the solution, and we deliver,” he said.
The President noted that the road serves as a critical economic corridor linking Kado, Saburi, Gwagwa, Idu, Karmo and Dei-Dei to the Outer Northern Expressway, significantly reducing travel time and transportation costs.
“This road is more than a carriageway. It is an economic artery. Goods will move, markets will thrive, and workers will get to their jobs with less stress. We are not slowing down. Across the FCT, from the city centre to the area councils, we are building for inclusion, for safety and for growth. Every district deserves access, and every citizen deserves to feel the impact of government wherever they live.”
Tinubu commended the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, for driving infrastructure development across the territory.
He said the minister had identified the Old Keffi Road as a strategic economic route that had become a daily source of hardship for commuters, traders and residents.
The President also lauded the Light Up Abuja initiative, noting that improved street lighting would strengthen security and support commercial activities beyond daylight hours.
He urged residents of the benefiting communities to safeguard the infrastructure, emphasising that public assets endure longer when properly maintained.
Speaking at the event, Wike said the rehabilitation of the road was undertaken in response to repeated appeals from traders and residents along the corridor.
“Today, July 2, we are here to inaugurate the road. We are delighted that all the promises Mr President made to the people in this area have been fulfilled,” he said.
The minister recalled that the FCT Administration had completed and inaugurated access roads to Saburi I and Saburi II communities in 2024.
He also pledged to rehabilitate the Zaudna–Kaba–Kagini Road after residents displayed banners highlighting its poor condition during the inauguration.
Wike directed the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Dauda, to instruct the contractor, Lubrik Construction Company Ltd., to commence work on the project immediately.
“The other day, while we went to flag off one of the roads, I saw some people carrying a banner showing how bad their road is. Today again, they have come here with that banner. I’ve told the contractor to ensure work commences immediately,” he said.
Earlier, Dauda disclosed that the rehabilitation contract for the Old Keffi Road was awarded to Lubrik Construction Company Ltd. in February 2025.
He explained that the road begins at the Kado Fish Market junction on Arterial Road N5 in Gwarinpa, passes through Karmo Tasha, Gwagwa and Jiwa, and terminates at the Outer Northern Expressway in Dei-Dei.
According to him, the road is a vital regional transport corridor that predates the creation of the FCT, providing access to major markets and facilitating the movement of goods and people between Abuja and neighbouring states.
Dauda added that the route also serves key commercial hubs, including the Dei-Dei Building Materials Market and the Panteka Market in Apo Dutse.
