New infrastructure smoothes the road to economic growth

Rural communities are being connected by unprecedented road-building projects across the 23 local government areas of the state. The subsequent improvement and ease in the mobility of commodities, services and people is thereby spurring accelerated economic activity and social development.  

More than 70% of the population lives in rural areas and the focus on opening up the most difficult and inaccessible areas of the state over the past seven years with greater interconnectivity has resulted in the construction of over 3,775 miles of roads and other key infrastructure. Farmers with faster, easier access to major markets are obtaining better prices for their produce, and the knock-on economic effects of increased mobility between towns and villages are enabling benefits to spread.

New and rehabilitated bridges bringing dozens of communities closer together include those at Silame, Wurno-Huchi, Isa-Bafarawa, Tambuwal-Kebbe, and also Sabon-Birni. Plus, the N1.9-billion ($11.5-million) rehabilitation of the Sokoto-Illela road is almost complete. The 85km highway links numerous villages and towns with Illela, an important market town sharing a border with the Republic of Niger to the north.

The Wamakko administration takes great pride in its achievements in Sokoto City, having dualized, expanded or repaired almost all major thoroughfares in the state capital. A N1.5-billion flyover has eased traffic flows and also become a local landmark.

The city’s eastern and western bypasses have recently been rehabilitated and had extra lanes added. Earlier this year, officials at the Sokoto State House of Assembly called on the state government to name the two roads after the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, in honor of his “unrelenting efforts to sustain peace, unity and religious harmony in Nigeria and beyond.”