Tinubu Reveals Why Nigeria Chose Concrete for the ₦Trillion Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has once again pushed Nigeria’s ambitious infrastructure agenda into the global spotlight after revealing why his administration decided to construct the proposed Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway using concrete instead of imported bitumen.
Speaking at the prestigious Africa CEO Forum, President Tinubu explained that the decision was part of a broader economic strategy aimed at promoting local industries, strengthening Nigerian manufacturing, and ensuring long-term durability for one of the country’s biggest road projects in recent history.
According to the President, the massive 1000-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry road project is designed to connect Northern Nigeria directly to the South-West corridor while also creating smoother trade access to neighbouring West African countries including Benin Republic and Ghana.
Tinubu stated that before construction began, he personally reached out to two of Nigeria’s biggest industrial players — Dangote Group and BUA Group — informing them that his government would prioritise locally produced cement over imported bitumen for the highway construction.
In his words:
> “Let me give you an example. In Nigeria, we're constructing a 1000km Sokoto-Badagry road that's going to link Benin Republic and even Ghana when it's completed. When we were about to start construction, I called Dangote and BUA Abdul Samad and told them that since they're cement producers, I'm not going to import bitumen. I'm going to build a concrete road that'll last longer. When you see this road, it's all concrete, and Dangote and BUA cement are what are being used for the construction.”
The statement has since generated widespread reactions across Nigeria’s economic, political, and construction sectors, with many supporters describing the move as a major boost for indigenous industries and local content development.
The Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway is considered one of the flagship infrastructure projects of the Tinubu administration. The proposed road corridor is expected to cut across several states, improve interstate transportation, reduce travel time, and facilitate regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Economic analysts believe the project could significantly transform commercial activities between Northern and Southern Nigeria while positioning the country as a stronger trade hub within West Africa.
The President’s emphasis on concrete roads also reflects a growing debate around road durability in Nigeria. Concrete roads are generally known to have longer life spans and require less maintenance compared to asphalt or bitumen-based roads, especially under heavy truck movement and harsh weather conditions.
By choosing cement-based construction, Tinubu’s administration appears to be pursuing a strategy that simultaneously supports industrial growth and reduces dependence on imported construction materials.
Industry observers note that both Dangote Cement and BUA Cement remain major players in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, with production capacities capable of supplying large-scale infrastructure projects nationwide. Their involvement in the Sokoto-Badagry project is being viewed as another sign of increasing collaboration between government and the private sector.
Beyond road construction, the President also used the Africa CEO Forum platform to promote investment opportunities in Nigeria and present his administration’s economic reform agenda to African and global business leaders.
The highway project itself has continued to attract national attention since its announcement due to its strategic economic importance and projected impact on transportation, agriculture, logistics, and regional integration. Reports have indicated that the federal government considers the project critical to long-term infrastructure expansion and economic growth plans.
For many Nigerians, Tinubu’s latest comments go beyond road construction alone. They represent a wider message about economic nationalism, industrial self-reliance, and the push to use Nigerian-made products in delivering large-scale national projects.
Whether supporters or critics agree with the administration’s policies, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway is shaping up to become one of the defining infrastructure conversations of the Tinubu presidency.
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