President Bola Tinubu has suspended the construction of the access road linking Tungan Madaki to the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in Zuba, describing the project as part of a growing network of roads aimed at expanding connectivity, boosting economic activities and improving the lives of residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, at the ceremony, Tinubu said the new road is a continuation of the recently commissioned Bill Clinton Drive-Tungan Madaki and reflects his administration’s commitment to expanding infrastructure beyond the city centre.
“What started as a path is now becoming a network, and this is how true development takes root,” the President said.
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He noted that communities like Tungan Madaki and Zuba, which are home to farmers, traders and students, deserve the same quality of infrastructure as residents of the Abuja city centre.
According to Tinubu, the project will improve access to rural communities, reduce transportation costs, improve food supply and strengthen security by improving response times of security agencies.
“When farmland opens up, food becomes cheaper in our markets. When communities are connected, young people have more reasons to build businesses at home. When the response time of security agencies improves, our people are safer. Infrastructure is not just concrete and asphalt. It is the bridge between potential and prosperity, and that is the core of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
The President described the road as a strategic component of the FCT Master Plan, saying it would help decongest the Abuja city centre, provide alternative routes for commuters and strengthen the economic corridor linking Abuja, Kaduna and the North West.
He added that the project would encourage investments in housing, healthcare, education and industrial development along the corridor.
Tinubu commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration for prioritizing the delivery of infrastructure.
“From major highways to community access roads like this, we are seeing a return to planning, a rejection of abandoned projects and a focus on results that citizens can feel. When I commissioned the transformation of the FCT, the brief was simple: achieve tangible results that improve daily life. The work we have seen in the FCT so far speaks for itself,” he said.
He urged the contractor to deliver the project on time, maintain quality standards and hire local workers, while calling on residents to support and safeguard the infrastructure.
Speaking at the event, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike revealed that the road project was not originally included among those scheduled to be inaugurated to mark Tinubu’s third year in office.
He said the project was added following a request by Gwagwalada Area Council chairman Mohammed Kassim who appealed for the extension of the Tungan Madaki road to Zuba.
“This is what they call leadership. This is the first time he has been elected council president, because he believes in the Tinubu administration. Today he has achieved something for his people. That is leadership. Knowing what to do at the right time to attract the attention of the government to his community,” Wike said.
The minister said the project is in line with Tinubu’s directive that satellite cities should be connected to the city of Abuja and each other.
“What we are doing today is fulfilling that promise that Mr. President has made, that during his term, all satellite cities, all Area Councils will have the attention of his government,” he added.
Wike also commended Tungan Madaki residents for supporting the project and directed the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), to complete the road in December to commission it as a “Christmas gift” to the benefiting communities.
Earlier, FCT Minister of State Mariya Mahmoud said the project underlines the administration’s commitment to inclusive development by expanding access, promoting economic opportunities and improving the quality of life of residents.
He commended Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for driving infrastructure development across the territory and commended Wike’s leadership in accelerating the execution of projects.
Giving a technical overview, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Acting Executive Secretary Richard Yunana Dauda said the project extends the existing seven-kilometre Bill Clinton Drive-Tungan Madaki road by another seven kilometers to connect Tungan Madaki with Zuba.
According to him, the road will serve communities such as Tungan Wakili, Anguwan Lasheri, Tungan Jiwa, Tungan Nasara, Tungan Samu, Amawa and Jima.
Dauda said the project would provide an alternative route for travelers heading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport from Zuba, Kaduna and Kogi State, while opening up farming communities, creating jobs, reducing travel time and improving security in the area..
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