Phase one works on the Apapa-Toll Gate road in Nigeria is set to be ready before the end of December. This is according to the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
The road is part of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project. It is is expected to pass through Apapa port, Tincan, Mile 2, Oshodi, Anthony, Oworonshoki, up to the toll gate. Construction work, which started some months ago, was under the Presidential Order Number 7. The order allows companies to build roads and have the money spent deducted from their three-year taxes.
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Apapa-Toll Gate road
“We started the road right from the port at Apapa. We are building 10 lanes – five lanes on each side – and there is drainage on both sides and streetlight. It is a concrete road. It is the first heavy concrete road that is up to about 35 kilometres. We would also maintain it for five years. This road will last up to 100 years,” said Dangote.
“Government gave us 36 months to complete this project, but I can assure you that we would finish it in 15 months. We should be able to finish before the end of next year,” he added.
Locally purchased equipment
The tools used for project are 100% local including Dangote cement. Other equipment are such as smelt waste steel, which is converted into iron bars and are being used for the road, are coming from African countries. Upon completion, the road is expected to address the challenges faced by businesses in clearing goods from the ports.
“These are the kind of roads we see when we travel abroad. It is a good thing for this country. When we talk about the Ease of Doing Business, you can imagine a situation where people have been complaining about the ease of transporting their goods out of the Apapa port. After clearing goods at the ports, there should be a solid road where these trucks can pass through to make life easy for people. These roads certainly would open up Nigeria and Lagos,” said Dangote.
