FG targets economic expansion with Kuje–Gwagwalada dual carriageway project

The Federal Government says its infrastructure drive is aimed at deepening economic expansion and integrating satellite communities into the broader growth agenda, as President Bola Tinubu flagged off Phase I of the 7-kilometre Kuje–Gwagwalada dual carriageway in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Tinubu, said on Wednesday in Abuja, that the administration is deliberately extending development beyond the city centre to ensure that no community is excluded from national prosperity.

According to him, ongoing projects across the country reflect a broader effort to build what he described as “the nation of our dreams,” anchored on inclusion and balanced development.

“My people of Kuje, Gwagwalada, Kwali and all the area councils and satellite towns, hear me clearly: this government sees you. You are not forgotten,” the President said.

Tinubu noted that for years, development in the FCT had been concentrated within the city centre, but stressed that the Renewed Hope Agenda was reversing that trend through targeted investments in roads, water, schools and healthcare facilities across satellite towns.

He said the newly inaugurated dual carriageway is not just a transport project but a strategic economic corridor expected to improve security, boost commerce and enhance mobility across Kuje, Gwagwalada and Kwali.

Describing the road as long overdue, the President said residents had for years contended with poor infrastructure that slowed trade, increased travel time and exposed commuters to security risks.

“This 7-kilometre dual carriageway with solar-powered streetlights, pedestrian walkways and proper drainage is more than a road. It is security; it is commerce; it is dignity,” he said.

He added that the project would unlock agricultural value chains, open up new residential developments and improve access for farmers, traders, students and workers.

Tinubu also commended the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, for what he described as efforts to extend development to underserved communities.

“You have taken renewed hope to the grassroots… That is leadership,” he said.

In his remarks, Wike said the project emerged from consultations with traditional rulers and community leaders, noting that residents had consistently demanded improved road infrastructure in the area.

He explained that earlier interventions included the completion of the Airport Road to Kuje project and the dualisation of key inner-community routes, while the Kuje–Gwagwalada stretch represents the next phase of connectivity expansion.

Wike described the corridor as previously “terrible,” adding that the government had now mobilised resources to complete Phase I, while assuring that the second phase would be delivered by December.

“That is what you call good governance. The Renewed Hope Agenda is not a slogan but a reality,” he said.

Also speaking, Mariya Mahmoud, minister of State for the FCT, said the project reflects the administration’s focus on infrastructure-led development aimed at improving livelihoods and stimulating economic activity in satellite towns.

Earlier, Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, Coordinator of the FCT Satellite Towns Development Department,said the project was awarded in February 2025, with the remaining six-kilometre stretch expected to be completed by December.