Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate rollout of the National Construction and Household Support Programme, a comprehensive initiative aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, strengthening the economy, and providing urgent economic relief for Nigerians.
The announcement came during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
The programme, which covers all geo-political zones in the country, prioritizes several major infrastructure projects, including:the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, which will traverse Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos, is prioritized.
While emphasizing the urgency of boosting food production, the President noted that the Sokoto-Badagry Highway is a pivotal project as the states within this axis form the food belt of the nation, and with Badagry being an important artery for food export.
“Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required of us to meet the needs of our people. Time is humanity’s most precious asset. You can never have enough of it. It is getting late.
“We are ready and able to support you in the form of the mechanization of your agricultural processes and the provision of high-quality seedlings.
Other road infrastructure projects, such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is underway, and the Trans-Saharan Highway, which links Enugu, Abakaliki, Ogoja, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Abuja, are also prioritized.
President Tinubu emphasized the importance of the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, noting its strategic significance to the nation’s agricultural sustainability. The corridor encompasses 216 agricultural communities, 58 large and medium dams, seven Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, and over 1 million hectares of arable land.
The President has also approved full counterpart financing for Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway; to traverse Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Borno, as well as for the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway; which will traverse Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Niger, Abuja, Kaduna, and Kano.
The Sokoto-Badagry road project is specially prioritized for its importance as some of the states it will traverse are strategic to the agricultural sustainability of the nation.
Within the Sokoto-Badagry Highway corridor, there are 216 agricultural communities, 58 large and medium dams spread across six states, seven Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), 156 local government areas, 39 commercial cities and towns, and over 1 million hectares of arable land.
In addition to infrastructure development, the programme includes:
- A one-off allocation of N10 billion to states and the Federal Capital Territory for bus procurement and CNG uplift
- N50,000 uplift grants to 100,000 families per state for three months
- Provisions for labour unions and civil society organizations
- N155 billion for the purchase and distribution of assorted foodstuff nationwide
The President expressed readiness to support states with agricultural mechanization and high-quality seedlings, as well as solar-powered irrigation facilities. He stressed the importance of food production.
“We are prepared to provide solar powered irrigation facilities to support our farmers across seasons, but we must now produce. We must produce the food our people eat, and it will require coordination and intentionality between members of the National Economic Council (NEC).
“There is nothing we are doing that is more important than producing high-quality food for our people to consume, buy, and sell. We create jobs in the production of it. And that is before we generate wealth by exporting the excess. It is not beyond us to achieve this for Nigerians.
“How much support do you need from me and in what form? I am prepared to provide it. But we must achieve the result. We must deliver on our targets at all levels. Please report back following your consultations and submit to my office within seven days,” President Tinubu said.
Tinubu requested governors to report back with their support needs within seven days, emphasizing the urgency of achieving targets at all levels to ensure food security and economic growth for the nation.
