Tinubu Is Reviving Trans Saharan Superhighway -Umahi

Minister of Works Dave Umahi said on Saturday, June 13, 2026, that President Bola Tinubu is reviving abandoned road projects across the South East, including the long stalled Calabar Ebonyi Benue Trans Saharan Superhighway, describing it as a flagship project that will transform economic activities across multiple regions.
Umahi made the disclosure during an inspection tour of ongoing federal road projects in the South East. He said the superhighway, once completed, would link Calabar in Cross River State through Ebonyi and Benue States, opening up trade corridors that have remained underdeveloped for decades despite the region’s agricultural and commercial potential.
‘This project is one of the flagship initiatives expected to transform economic activities across the South East, South South and parts of the North Central region,’ Umahi said, adding that the federal government had allocated significant funding to ensure the project does not suffer the fate of previous abandoned road contracts in the area.
Part of Wider Infrastructure Push
The superhighway revival forms part of a broader infrastructure agenda that the Tinubu administration has highlighted as evidence of its commitment to ending the culture of abandoned projects. Earlier this month, the President commissioned the Outer Southern Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory and pledged that his government would finish what previous administrations left incomplete.
Furthermore, Umahi said the ministry was also reviewing the status of several other South East road projects that had stalled due to funding gaps, contractor disputes, or community resistance. He said affected state governments had been engaged to resolve outstanding issues so that construction could resume without further delay.
However, some South East stakeholders cautioned that announcements of project revival have been made in the past without sustained follow through. They called for the federal government to publish a clear timeline and budget breakdown for the superhighway to allow for public accountability. Still, business groups in Calabar, Abakaliki, and Makurdi welcomed the announcement, saying improved road connectivity would significantly reduce the cost of transporting goods across the three states.
Anambra Soludo Reaffirms Unity Commitment
Notably, the announcement coincided with Anambra Governor Charles Soludo’s reaffirmation of his administration’s commitment to initiatives promoting unity, cultural preservation, and community development in the state. In addition, Abia Governor Alex Otti separately reaffirmed similar commitments to unity and development programmes in his state. Consequently, South East governors appear to be coordinating messaging around regional development just as federal infrastructure investment in the zone gathers pace.