Road: Tracking Five Years of Construction, Challenges In Kwara

When Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq took office in 2019, he promised a new approach to infrastructure. What has followed is not a single project but a consistent record of contracts, rehabilitations, and targeted partnerships that have collectively changed how people and goods move across the state. The work is visible across all three senatorial districts. In […]

When Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq took office in 2019, he promised a new approach to infrastructure.

What has followed is not a single project but a consistent record of contracts, rehabilitations, and targeted partnerships that have collectively changed how people and goods move across the state.

The work is visible across all three senatorial districts.

In October 2024, the state government flagged off the construction, rehabilitation, and upgrade of 209.77 kilometres of rural roads under the World Bank supported Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).

The initiative is designed to connect farming communities to markets and ease the cost of moving produce to town.

However, in February, the government said it had paid over ₦4 billion as a counterpart fund for RAAMP between 2019 and the present.

Speaking at the 47th Media Parliament of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin, the State RAAMP Project Coordinator, Dr Isaac Kolo, said that the released of the fund was to assist for the upgrade, rehabilitation, and construction of roads aimed at connecting the 16 local government areas of the state.

He added that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has signed the Rural Access Road Agency (RARA) and State Road Fund (SRF) bills into law and approved the immediate constitution of the Boards of the agency for the ongoing rural road projects to stand the test of time through quality maintenance.

He stated that the ongoing project has created job opportunities for people in rural communities with the engagement of the services of over 400 enumerators to ease the agency’s job.

At a citizens’ engagement forum in 2025, the administration reported the completion of at least 120 kilometres of roads between 2023 and mid-2025, in addition to hundreds of kilometres still under construction.

Officials said the figure represents part of the larger commitment to upgrade both urban and rural road networks across the 16 local government areas.

That record has now deepened further with the submission of the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Abdulquawiy Olododo, at last week’s third quarter inter-ministerial briefing.

According to the Ministry of Works, 84 road and related infrastructure projects covering 76.5 kilometres were completed between April and September 2025 alone, under the state’s ongoing Urban Renewal Agenda.

An additional 48 kilometres of roads are still under construction, with another 52 kilometres already approved and set to commence soon.

Olododo said the projects, spanning both urban and rural communities, reflect the government’s commitment to modernising infrastructure and making Kwara a more connected and economically vibrant state.

He added that with over 384 kilometres of completed or ongoing road projects, the state is fast transforming into a more accessible and business-friendly environment.

While disclosing that it will soon commence rehabilitation work on the Kilanko road in the Offa Garage area of the state capital, as well as the Gaa Akanbi-Danialu-University of Ilorin road corridor, Olododo appealed to other communities across the state especially in the state capital whose roads are in deplorable condition to formally write to the Ministry of Works for inclusion in future rehabilitation plans.

“There are many roads across Kwara that need attention, and we can’t identify all of them at once. Communities should reach out to us so that we can take appropriate action,” he stated.

Engr. Olododo reiterated the government’s commitment under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration to improving infrastructure and easing transportation challenges across the state.

Also in Ilorin, the state capital, several key arteries have undergone reconstruction to ease urban congestion.

Craneburg Construction Company has delivered the full reconstruction of the Wahab Folawiyo (Unity) Road awarded at over ₦1.51 billion and a modern flyover at the Unity Roundabout worth over ₦8.4 billion.

The same A-list firm has also delivered the full reconstruction of Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Challenge-Post Office corridor, Murtala, Ojo-Oba, Gambari, parts of Tanke and GRA link roads among numerous other said to have outlived their engineering design, to improve inner-city drainage and mobility.

These projects are part of the administration’s broader effort to modernise the capital’s transport grid and reduce travel bottlenecks.

Beyond state funds, Kwara has increasingly leveraged partnerships with the private sector and federal initiatives.

A notable example is the 130-kilometre Bode Saadu-Kaiama-Kosubosu road, financed by BUA Group under the Federal Government’s Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme.

The project connects agrarian zones to Niger and Oyo States among others, linking farmers to wider markets and supporting industrial supply chains.

For communities along this corridor, the transformation is already visible.

Residents of Alagbon Odetunde, a rural community near Bode Saadu in Moro Local Government Area, say the new road has turned their once-isolated settlement into a potential hub for trade and agriculture.

For years, the community lived in isolation, with only narrow footpaths linking homes to farms. Commercial activities were minimal, and moving harvested crops to the market was difficult and often wasted due to poor access at times.

That reality is changing. The road, designed to boost public infrastructure through private investment, has earned the repeatedly praise of the Governor for its potential to open new economic frontiers for Kwara North.

The community head, Alhaji Ahmadu Ayinde, told journalists during a media tour that life had greatly improved since the road construction began.

“Before now, cars rarely passed through our community because there were only footpaths. Since the project started, more vehicles have come in, and economic activities are picking up. Farmers can take their produce to the market more easily, and we are beginning to see traders return”, he said.

Ayinde urged investors to take advantage of the area’s fertile land and peaceful environment to set up agribusinesses and small industries.

A trader, Mrs Kudirat Abdulfatai, shared a similar experience.

“Before the road was built, we paid as much as one thousand naira to go to the market. Now it’s five hundred for a round trip. Even pest invasion has reduced because the environment is no longer bushy and inaccessible”, she said.

For the community’s youth leader, Mr Sulaiman Odetunde, the project represents a turning point.

“We now have good road access and vast land for investment. What we need are businesses that can provide jobs, education, and empowerment for our young people,” he said.

These voices, according to residents, illustrate the human dimension behind Kwara’s infrastructure numbers.

According to official data, 33 projects were completed and 24 new road contracts awarded in the first quarter of 2025 alone. Cumulatively, the administration says it has executed over 190 road projects since 2019, ranging from short feeder roads in remote areas to inter-town corridors that now reduce travel time and improve access to services.

These figures show that the government has moved from promises to implementation and putting tangible things on ground. However, they also highlight a mix of achievements and ongoing gaps.

In terms of quality, many of the completed roads appear solid and durable. However, a few, particularly those not handled by top tier construction firms, have shown signs of concern in some sections, largely due to the constant movement of heavy duty vehicles.

This underscores the need for stricter supervision during execution to ensure full compliance with contract specifications and enforce uniform quality across contractors.

On connectivity, the state’s partnership approach is promising as shown by the BUA-funded economic concrete road with a projected 50 years lifespan and a proof that corporate participation can accelerate delivery.

However, several other rural projects still require feeder links to main highways before their full economic impact can be felt.

On sustainability, the government has begun institutional reforms to make maintenance predictable.

The rollout of the Kwara State Road Fund and Rural Access Road Agency (RARA) under the World Bank assisted RAAMP is designed to guarantee that completed roads do not decay for lack of regular upkeep.

Their success will depend on their full operationalisation and steady funding. Officials say procurement processes have been strengthened to ensure value for money.

The major risk ahead is not inactivity but maintenance. Roads require constant attention, drainage clearing, patching, and resurfacing, to remain motorable.

Without routine maintenance, the gains of the past five years could fade.

Another challenge is the performance of some contractors, delayed timelines, cost variations, and issues of supervision that still undermine progress in some areas.

Still, the direction of change is unmistakable. Infrastructure is now treated as a continuous policy area rather than a political event.

The AbdulRazaq administration has managed to combine state funding, federal support, and private financing in a way that could redefine the state’s transport landscape if sustained.

To consolidate these gains, analysts and civil society groups have suggested ring-fence maintenance funds to ensure that the new road fund operates independently of budget fluctuations and enhance transparency by publishing an online dashboard detailing each road’s location, contractor, cost, and completion status among others.

Such openness, they argued, would build public trust and improve supervision. It would also make it easier for residents to track progress and for journalists to verify claims for improved delivery.

Going forward, the state can deepen collaboration with the private sector through the tax credit scheme, encourage local content in construction materials, and create preventive maintenance schedules with measurable performance targets.

The vision is to connect every major agricultural and industrial hub in Kwara through durable, all-season roads that drive trade, reduce travel time, and expand economic opportunities for rural and urban dwellers alike.

As the state moves into another fiscal cycle, the focus is shifting to performance and consolidation. With sustained investment, stronger oversight, and the operationalisation of the Road Fund and Rural Access Road Agency, Kwara is steadily building a transport network that can endure beyond election cycles and support long-term development.

If this momentum continues, the roads being laid today will not only link communities but also power commerce, industry, and inclusion across generations, marking a defining legacy of progress for the state, especially in the aspect of roads.