Lagos–Abuja Super Highway: Nigerians Still Waiting, Government Silent on 2023 Promise
Abuja |TEC News| 20th August, 2025.
More than two years after the Federal Government promised Nigerians a brand-new Lagos–Abuja Super Highway that would cut travel time between the two cities to just four hours, commuters continue to suffer on one of the most dangerous and dilapidated transport corridors in the country.
In September 2023, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, unveiled the ambitious project, declaring that construction would begin within three months under a Public–Private Partnership arrangement. The highway, spanning roughly 470km and crossing Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Niger and the FCT, was projected to be completed in four years, with a 100-year concrete design.
Two years on, however, the project remains on paper.
Concessionaire AEC Unity Network Limited has completed feasibility studies, designs, and secured technical approvals from the Ministries of Works and Finance as well as the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
But actual construction is yet to start, as the project still awaits Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval before a presidential flag-off can take place.
Harsh Realities on the Ground
While Nigerians wait for the promised Super Highway, travelers on the existing Lagos–Abuja road are faced with:
Pothole-ridden and accident-prone stretches, particularly around Lokoja, where lawmakers have raised alarms over recurring crashes.
Severe gridlock on the Lokoja–Abuja corridor, which recently required emergency intervention by the FRSC to ease congestion.
Security risks, with surveys showing 84.6% of road users reporting experiences or knowledge of insecurity such as robberies or abductions. Although some improvement is noted on the Abuja–Kaduna axis, many travelers still describe the Lagos–Abuja journey as unsafe.
Traveler accounts online warn against using buses and vans for the route, citing both poor road conditions and kidnapping risks. Many Nigerians now opt to fly instead, despite higher costs.
Nigerians’ Frustration
For many commuters and citizens, the Super Highway has become yet another symbol of unfulfilled government promises. With the economy already burdened by high inflation and insecurity, road travel—which should be the cheapest and most accessible option—remains a nightmare.
“Minister Umahi told us in 2023 that we would drive from Lagos to Abuja in just four hours by 2027. But as of today, not a single stone has been turned. Instead, we are stuck in endless traffic, dodging potholes, and praying against kidnappers.” – A commuter told TEC News.
The Call to Action
TEC News reminds the Federal Government that Nigerians deserve better than endless waiting. The Lagos–Abuja Super Highway is not just a prestige project—it is an urgent necessity for economic growth, safety, and national integration.
We call on the Federal Executive Council to break the bottleneck, approve the concessionaire’s final papers, and allow construction to begin immediately.
Until then, Nigerians will keep asking: Where is the Lagos–Abuja Super Highway promised since 2023?
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