Nigeria Revives Colonial-Era Highway to Transform Trade

After sitting dormant for nearly a century, a colonial-era superhighway across southeastern Nigeria is finally becoming reality.

The Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue Trans-Saharan Superhighway will stretch over 123 kilometers when complete, connecting three major regions and opening trade corridors for millions of farmers and businesses. President Bola Tinubu's government has committed $668 billion naira to the project, with some sections already 28 percent complete.

"It's a colonial-era dream long forgotten, but President Tinubu has revived it, and construction is now underway," said Works Minister Dave Umahi during a recent inspection tour through Ebonyi State. The highway will link Nigeria's South-East, South-South, and North-Central regions, creating direct routes for agricultural goods like cassava, yam, cashew, and palm oil to reach markets across borders into Cameroon.

What makes this project different is its concrete road technology, which allows construction teams to keep working even during Nigeria's heavy rainy season. Traditional asphalt roads would require stopping work for months each year, but this modern approach keeps progress steady year-round.

The government isn't stopping with just the highway. Crews are also building the 1.3-kilometer Ndi-Egbe Bridge connecting Ebonyi and Cross River states, set to finish in December 2026. A $35 billion naira flyover in Ebonyi Central is designed to ease traffic congestion that has slowed commerce for years.

The Ripple Effect

This infrastructure wave means more than just smoother commutes. Farmers in remote areas will finally have reliable routes to transport fresh produce to major cities and international buyers. Small businesses that struggled with impassable roads during rainy seasons will gain year-round market access.

The highway also represents long-awaited investment in a region that has felt overlooked for generations. Local leaders gathered recently to inspect progress, joined by journalists documenting how communities are already preparing for the economic boost these connections will bring.

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi noted his state is simultaneously pushing forward its own projects, spreading roads, healthcare centers, and water systems across every local government area. The combination of federal highways and local infrastructure is creating a foundation for sustained growth.

Construction teams are working across multiple states simultaneously, turning decades of broken promises into tangible progress that residents can see taking shape along their horizons.

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