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FEC approves $45.3mn for critical transportation projects

 

By Cross Udo, Abuja

 

Yesterday, the Federal Executive Council FEC approved $45,303,000 for a detailed feasibility study and engineering design for a new transportation route alignment for the four Western seaports.

The Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, disclosed this while briefing journalists after the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He explained that the project would link the Badagry Deep Seaport to Tincan, Tincan to Apapa, Lekki Seaport to Ijebu-Ode, and Kajola to the Lagos-Kano-Maradi railway project.

According to Alkali, the initiative aims to enhance economic growth by linking western ports to the hinterland, thereby increasing GDP and economic activity.

“You are all aware transportation is one of the key priority areas of President Tinubu’s administration, and it is an enabler of economic growth. So, the Federal Executive Council has approved detailed feasibility studies and engineering design of a proposed route alignment from Badagry Deep Seaport to Tincan, Tincan to Apapa, Lekki Seaport to Ijebu-Ode, and Kajola. It is at Kajola and will connect with the Lagos to Kano to Maradi Railway Modernization project.

“The idea is to link the western port to the hinterland. As it is, we have only Apapa Port linked with a red line. We have a standard gauge inter APMT terminal in Apapa, which we are using for freight from Lagos to Ibadan. We also have the old narrow gauge that was rehabilitated; we have put it into use for freight from Lagos to Kano.

“So by the time we can link all the four seaports at the Western corridor to the hinterland, it will further grow our GDP and enhance our economic activity. The contract was awarded at the cost of $45,303,000”, he said.

 

*Okays N20bn for Customs to procure CNG vehicles

Also yesterday, the Federal Government announced the approval of N20bn for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the procurement of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, construction of forward bases in remote areas, and life insurance policy for officers, among others.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He said the Council approved projects worth N20bn, including procurement of CNG vehicles and constructing forward bases in remote areas, alongside N1bn life insurance policy for officers.

FEC also approved the establishment of the creative and tourism infrastructure corporation to develop the sector under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, disclosed this while briefing journalists.

Musawa said, “The Council approved the establishment of the creative and tourism infrastructure corporation to invest in and develop Nigeria’s creative and tourism industries infrastructure under a PPP partnership.

“This is very pronounced on the initiative that we hope will propel Nigeria’s creative industry and the tourism industry to new heights by allowing it to unlock its immense potential that we all know, enhance for economic growth and global soft power.

“The new technology of art, culture, tourism, and creative economy was created in October 2024, and we meant to go out to see what we can do to build on the creative industry, the Cultural Institute, and the tourism industry.

“The establishment of this creative and tourism infrastructure corporation is a special purpose vehicle under a PPP framework that will allow us to identify and to deploy and finance critical infrastructure needs in the creative industry.

“We all know that everybody in Nigeria is talking about creativity. There’s a lot of interest in Nigeria, not because of anything but because of our context and creativity. And the President was very, very intentional in trying to diversify his government by making sure that we build on the creative industry and innovation.”

The Minister said the authorities have already engaged with development partners and stakeholders worldwide to develop innovative infrastructure development and financing approaches.

“The real key objectives of this are to provide the infrastructural foundation needed for the creative and tourism industries and generate at least $100 billion to increase the GDP and at least two million jobs, specifically for a younger demographic.

“We hope to develop world-class infrastructure. We want to attract investment, nurture talent and innovation, promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage, use it as a tool for growth globally and locally, and create output generally.

“So by bridging the infrastructure gap, because we do not everybody knows that there’s a lot of value in the creative industry and the tourism industry and this value can only be extracted to the benefit of the material if we put the modalities in place that allow its growth.

“One of the key areas with a huge gap is infrastructure. There’s a huge content, a huge talent, and just so much, but there’s no infrastructure. Just last year, in December, everybody saw what happened in Lagos for ditty December.

“This was a huge, huge way of showing the world that Nigeria really has what it can offer when it comes to the thinking industry. But can you imagine if that ditty December was supported by the infrastructure that will allow its growth? We want to leverage that output to make sure that we really have the value, the huge value that can bring economic growth in this industry.

She named some of these projects to include the Obudu cattle ranch, Abuja resort range, Yankari Games reserve, the Abuja Creators city, 5000 cinema screens, Creators’ City at the Wale Soyinka Lagos Centre for African Arts, and digital distribution network, as well as upgrading the National Gallery, among others.

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