Nigeria’s Endless Highways: How Federal Roads Spend 10 to 35 Years Under Construction and Why Accountability Keeps Failing
Nigeria’s infrastructure crisis is no longer a future concern; it is a lived reality etched into the daily experiences of millions of citizens. Across the country, federal highways meant to drive commerce, unity, and economic growth have instead become symbols of institutional failure, chronic inefficiency, and weak accountability. Roads that should take two to five years to complete have lingered for decades, trapping entire regions in cycles of underdevelopment, hardship, and frustration. From the North to the South, East to West, Nigeria’s highways tell a disturbing story — not of engineering challenges alone, but of governance breakdown.
The evidence is overwhelming. The Minna–Suleja Road has dragged on for roughly fifteen years. The Abuja–Lokoja Road has remained under construction for close to eighteen years despite its importance as a gateway between the Federal Capital Territory and the Middle Belt. The Kano–Maiduguri Road, vital for economic integration and post-insurgency recovery in the North-East, has stretched into its twentieth year. The Abuja–Keffi Road has taken more than twelve years, while the Kaduna–Abuja Road — a key national artery — has been under construction and rehabilitation for about nine years.
In the South-South, the Port Harcourt–Enugu Road has endured nearly sixteen years of repeated reconstruction and collapse. The East-West Road, arguably Nigeria’s most infamous highway failure, has consumed over twenty years without full completion, despite serving oil-producing communities that generate much of the nation’s revenue. In the South-West, the Lagos–Abeokuta Road has remained unfinished for over twenty-one years, while the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria’s busiest road, has taken more than two decades to reach near completion. The Oyo–Ogbomosho Road has lingered for fifteen years, disrupting trade and travel within one of the country’s most economically active zones.
Elsewhere, the Gombe–Potiskum Road has suffered about fifteen years of delays, the Jalingo–Numan Road over ten years, and the Makurdi–Ankpa Road roughly twenty-five years. Perhaps most alarming are roads like Jebba–Mokwa, Kaduna–Ibadan, Sarkin Pawa–Kaduna, and others that have remained incomplete or repeatedly rehabilitated for over thirty-five years. These timelines are not normal by any global standard; they represent generational failure.
The reasons for these delays are often explained away with familiar excuses, but a deeper examination reveals a pattern of systemic dysfunction. One of the most persistent problems is inconsistent funding. Federal road projects in Nigeria are frequently awarded without guaranteed multi-year financing plans. Budgetary allocations are released sporadically, and contractors are often owed for months or years, forcing work to slow or stop entirely. When funding resumes, inflation and currency depreciation inflate project costs, requiring renegotiation and further delays.
Compounding this problem is the issue of contractor accountability. Many road contracts are awarded based on political considerations rather than proven technical capacity. Once mobilized, some contractors operate without strict performance monitoring, knowing that penalties for delay are rare and enforcement is weak. In several cases, government agencies have threatened to revoke contracts, but such actions often come years after damage has already been done. The absence of consequence has normalized delay as an acceptable outcome.
Engineering failures and poor design choices also play a significant role. Some Nigerian roads collapse repeatedly because they were not built to withstand the country’s climate, traffic load, or soil conditions. Drainage systems are often inadequate, leading to flooding and pavement failure during rainy seasons. Instead of addressing these structural issues decisively, authorities frequently resort to patchwork rehabilitation, which only postpones failure and restarts the cycle of delay.
Right-of-way disputes and land acquisition challenges further slow progress. Compensation disagreements with communities, unclear land titles, and legal battles can halt construction for years. These issues are not unique to Nigeria, but in countries with effective project management, they are resolved early in the planning stage. In Nigeria, they often emerge mid-project, reflecting poor preparation and coordination.
The East-West Road stands as the most powerful symbol of this national problem. Conceived to link major oil-producing states and improve economic integration in the Niger Delta, the road was expected to transform mobility and commerce in the region. Instead, it has become a case study in waste, delay, and human suffering. Motorists routinely spend hours navigating dangerous, half-completed stretches. Businesses face increased transport costs, and communities remain isolated despite decades of promised progress. Each government announces renewed commitment, yet completion remains elusive.
The consequences of these delays extend far beyond inconvenience. Economically, delayed roads increase the cost of doing business, discourage investment, and limit market access for farmers and manufacturers. Transport inefficiencies inflate food prices, fuel inflation, and weaken supply chains. Socially, communities cut off by bad roads struggle to access healthcare, education, and emergency services. Lives are lost daily to accidents caused by narrow, deteriorated, or incomplete highways.
There is also a psychological cost. For citizens who have watched the same road under construction since childhood, trust in government erodes. Infrastructure becomes a symbol of broken promises rather than progress. This erosion of confidence weakens civic engagement and deepens the gap between the state and the people.
Recent administrations have acknowledged these failures and pledged reforms. The Federal Ministry of Works has issued warnings, revoked some contracts, and promised stricter oversight. New financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships and external funding, have been introduced for select projects. While these steps signal awareness, awareness alone is not enough. Without structural change, Nigeria risks repeating the same mistakes under new leadership.
True reform requires a shift from politically driven project awards to competence-based contracting. Road projects must be backed by secured, ring-fenced funding from inception to completion. Monitoring must be continuous, transparent, and technologically driven, with clear milestones and publicly accessible progress reports. Contractors who fail consistently must face real legal and financial consequences, not ceremonial warnings.
Nigeria must also abandon the culture of endless rehabilitation and prioritize durable construction that meets international standards. Roads should be built once and maintained routinely, not rebuilt every few years at enormous cost. Most importantly, accountability must move from rhetoric to action. Until delays carry consequences equal to their damage, the cycle will continue.
Nigeria’s roads are not failing because Nigerians lack engineers, funds, or technical knowledge. They are failing because systems allow failure without punishment. Until that changes, highways meant to unite the nation will continue to divide it — not by distance, but by decades of delay.
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