Tinubu To Commission Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in June

The Federal Government says the incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu will commission the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project. This comes against the earlier plan of having President Muhammadu Buhari commission the project before he leaves office on the 29th of May, 2023.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola made this statement during an extraordinary Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the chamber in the State House, Abuja.

Fashola also revealed that the new commissioning date has been scheduled for the 30th of June, 2023.

Reasons for the change of plans

Speaking further, Fashola said, “There is a critical section in the four-kilometre last mile to Lagos. It is technical but what has delayed it is that we found black-cutting soil under the pavement.”

He also said, “We have decided that we will remove it and replace it so that we do a proper job instead of being in a hurry to commission it.”

What you should know about the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project

The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway project is a 127.6-kilometre-long expressway connecting Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, and Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital.

Awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria and Reynolds Construction Company Limited at a sum of N167 billion, The expressway is the major route to the northern, southern, and eastern parts of Nigeria.

The project which is the busiest inter-state route in the country, handling over 250,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) daily, constitutes one of the largest road networks in Africa.

Recall that The Federal Government had earlier announced that the Lagos-Ibadan expressway will be completed by the end of April to relieve motorists and commuters of the stress they go through on that route. It, however, stated in March 2023, that the fuel scarcity and cash crunch affected the completion of the road project.