The Federal Government has earmarked N73.9 billion for the reconstruction and expansion of the Mararaba-Keffi expressway, a critical transport corridor linking Abuja to several southeastern and south-south states.
Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, disclosed this during an inspection visit to the project site on Saturday.
The project, which was awarded to China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Nigeria Limited, is expected to be completed by June 2026—13 months from now.
Goronyo praised President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to infrastructure development, describing the Mararaba-Keffi road as a vital artery for economic activities and regional connectivity.
“This road is very critical because it crisscrosses a lot of states. The section from Keffi to Makurdi is already completed, and work is progressing steadily on the Mararaba to Keffi stretch,”;; he said.
He added that work is also ongoing on the Makurdi-Enugu axis, and expressed confidence that the entire Abuja-Port Harcourt corridor would be completed by next year.
Goronyo said the project, awarded in June 2023 with a 30-month completion timeline, had reached 42 percent completion despite starting physically in December 2024.
“We are seeing appreciable progress. The contractor is working hard, and we are waiting for a certificate from them so more funds can be released,”;; he said, noting that efforts were underway to expand the road lanes to ease traffic flow and support economic growth.
Speaking on behalf of CHEC, the contractor handling the project, Commercial Manager Ronald Liao said the company was targeting 56 percent completion by the end of May.
He cited heavy daily traffic on the Masaka-Mararaba corridor as a major challenge, forcing the team to work mostly at night.
“The traffic from Masaka to Mararaba is intense. It’s a big challenge, but with the support of the Ministry, the project controller, and the FRSC, we are confident of completing the project on time,”;; Liao said.
