In a decisive move to enhance agricultural productivity, bolster the economy, and provide immediate relief to Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu has greenlit the National Construction and Household Support Programme.
This comprehensive initiative aims to cover all geopolitical zones of Nigeria, focusing on key infrastructure and support measures. The programme prioritizes several major infrastructure projects, including the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, which will span across Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos.
Emphasized for its strategic importance, this corridor is home to 216 agricultural communities, 58 dams, 7 Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), and over 1 million hectares of arable land.
Other projects include the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, designed to enhance connectivity along Nigeria’s coastline; the Trans-Saharan Highway, connecting Enugu, Abakaliki, Ogoja, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Abuja; the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway, traversing Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, and Borno; and the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway, linking Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Niger, Abuja, Kaduna, and Kano.
In addition to infrastructure projects, the programme includes significant economic relief measures. Each state and the Federal Capital Territory will receive N10 billion for the procurement of buses and to support the CNG uplift programme.
Furthermore, 100,000 families per state will receive N50,000 uplift grants for three months to alleviate economic hardship. The programme also includes support for labour unions and civil society organizations, and a deployment of N155 billion for the purchase and distribution of assorted foodstuffs nationwide.
During the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, President Tinubu emphasized the critical need for state governors to collaborate in addressing the nation’s food security challenges.
He highlighted the pivotal role of the Sokoto-Badagry Highway in connecting key agricultural regions and facilitating food export through Badagry. “Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required to meet the needs of our people. We are ready to support mechanized agriculture and provide high-quality seedlings. We will also offer solar-powered irrigation facilities to ensure year-round farming,” President Tinubu stated. He urged the NEC members to prioritize food production, stating, “We must produce the food our people eat, generate jobs, and create wealth through exports. Achieving this is within our reach.”
President Tinubu called for prompt feedback from the governors, requesting them to report back within seven days with their needs and plans for implementation.