Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State on Monday inaugurated a 35-kilometre road linking parts of Igabi, Kajuru and Chikun local government areas, describing it as the longest road project completed in the state in the past two decades.
The road, which runs from Gadan Gayan through Gwaraji to Kujama Junction, links more than 76 farming communities and includes a 130-metre bridge across the Kaduna River, providing access to several rural settlements.
The project is expected to improve mobility, boost agricultural activities and stimulate economic growth across the affected communities.
Initiated in January 2024, the road provides an alternative route that reduces reliance on the often-congested Kaduna metropolis, cutting travel time and transportation costs for commuters and traders.
“Emergency services will be able to respond faster, schoolchildren will reach their classrooms with greater ease, and families will enjoy improved access to healthcare, markets and social services,” the governor said.
The road also traverses agriculturally productive communities across three local government areas, directly linking farms to markets, aggregation centres, processing facilities and urban consumption hubs. Agriculture remains the leading contributor to Kaduna State’s gross domestic product.
Early signs of economic activity are already emerging along the corridor, with new filling stations, markets and small businesses springing up.
The project also addresses long-standing gaps in public infrastructure, particularly in Kajuru Local Government Area, which had not benefited from a major road project for more than 12 years.
“This prolonged neglect constrained economic activity and that reality was unacceptable,” the governor said, pledging that his administration is reversing decades of under-investment.
The commissioned road forms part of a broader infrastructure programme comprising 140 road projects covering 1,335 kilometres across Kaduna State.
Of these, 66 have been completed, while others are at various stages of construction, ranging between 60 and 75 per cent completion.