(Ecofin Agency) - Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved $80 million for the construction of two roads linking two Northern states to the border with Niger.

The first road to be built (47 km) links Balle-Kardula in the state of Sokoto to the Niger border. It is valued at N9.5 billion (about $26 million) and work is expected to last 24 months. The project is entrusted to Messrs North Sea Limited as part of a joint venture with Ceasar Engineering.

Another N19.76 billion ($54 million) is approved for the construction of Phase 2 of the road project, which runs from Kunya in Jigawa State to the Niger border. The 50-km-long road will be executed by the civil engineering firm Mothercat.

According to the minister of public work, Babatunde Fashola, the financing of the road infrastructure was approved as part of the administration's Economic Recovery and Growth Plan Implementation Strategies (ERGP) to stimulate the economy in view of the international trade activities on these roads. Both projects are in line with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) recently signed by Nigeria to promote intra-African trade.

Romuald Ngueyap