The Federal Government has said Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy depends largely on the sustainability, safety and reliability of the country’s road network, warning that failed and poorly maintained highways pose a direct threat to economic productivity and national growth.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 FERMA Roads Summit in Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said road infrastructure was central to trade, mobility and national integration, noting that more than 90 per cent of passenger and freight movement in Nigeria relies on roads.

“Road infrastructure is the backbone of Nigeria’s socio-economic life. The condition, reliability and sustainability of our federal road network have a direct bearing on economic productivity, national integration, road safety and the overall quality of life of Nigerians,” Akume said.

He said the Renewed Hope Agenda had repositioned infrastructure as a strategic driver of inclusive growth, explaining that roads were now being treated as national economic assets rather than isolated construction projects.

According to him, the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway were designed to open new economic corridors, stimulate trade and tourism, and strengthen national cohesion.

Akume warned that rapid population growth, urbanisation, axle overloading and climate-induced stress were placing severe pressure on Nigeria’s roads, leading to higher transport costs, longer travel times and productivity losses that undermine economic competitiveness.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, said Nigeria’s road network was critical to achieving the administration’s economic vision, stressing that “a $1 trillion economy cannot run on failed roads.”

Goronyo said, roads are the arteries through which the lifeblood of our economy flows. “When our roads work, Nigeria moves forward. Road abuse and poor maintenance continued to drain public resources and shorten the lifespan of major investments.”

He said the Federal Government was shifting towards lifecycle costing, public-private partnerships and technology-driven maintenance to protect infrastructure investments and improve value for money, despite fiscal constraints.

In his welcome remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Dr Emeka Agbasi, said sustainable road infrastructure was essential for lowering transport costs, improving access to markets and unlocking rural economies.

Agbasi said, well-maintained roads stimulate trade, attract investment, create jobs and strengthen national cohesion as he urge stakeholders to translate summit deliberations into policies and investments that would deliver measurable economic benefits.

The FERMA Roads Summit 2026 brought together policymakers, engineers, legislators, financiers and industry players to deliberate on sustainable funding, data-driven maintenance and institutional coordination, with the Federal Government pledging to convert the outcomes into actionable reforms to support long-term economic growth.

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