Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called for a major shift in Nigeria’s infrastructure strategy, arguing that government should prioritize the rehabilitation of existing highways rather than embarking on new road projects that offer limited immediate benefits.
In a statement on Monday, Obi said the country’s scarce resources should be directed toward repairing critical transport corridors that serve millions of Nigerians and support economic activities across regions.
According to him, many of Nigeria’s most important highways have deteriorated to the point of becoming obstacles to commerce, mobility and national productivity, even as governments continue to announce new construction and dualisation projects.
Obi cited the Asaba-Benin Road as a prime example of infrastructure neglect, describing the highway as one of the country’s most strategic transport routes linking the South-East, South-South and parts of the North-Central to Lagos and other commercial centres.
Despite its importance, he said, large sections of the road have become severely damaged, resulting in persistent traffic congestion, increased transportation costs and hardship for commuters and businesses.
“The Nigerian people need roads that are functional and motorable, not projects that merely attract headlines,” Obi stated.
He argued that fixing existing roads would produce more immediate economic benefits than launching new projects while major highways remain in disrepair.
The former Anambra governor maintained that road infrastructure should be guided by economic impact and public utility rather than political considerations, warning against what he described as a tendency to pursue highly publicised projects while neglecting critical national assets.
“Our efforts should be directed towards the reconstruction and maintenance of our current road infrastructure before we announce plans for new road projects,” he said.
Obi’s intervention comes amid ongoing debates over infrastructure funding, project prioritisation and the condition of federal highways across the country.
Stakeholders in the transport sector have repeatedly raised concerns about the state of major road networks, arguing that poor infrastructure continues to increase travel time, damage vehicles, raise logistics costs and constrain economic growth.
For Obi, restoring existing highways is not merely an infrastructure issue but an economic necessity that should form the cornerstone of any serious development strategy.
He insisted that government attention should remain focused on roads that directly affect the daily lives of Nigerians and the movement of goods and services across the country.