In developing stories, reports that the Federal Government has opened talks with the African Development Bank (AfDB) for possible funding of the construction of some sections of the Coastal and Trans-Sahara highways in Nigeria and Cameroon. Minister of Works and Housing, David Umahi, stated yesterday that it was part of the action plan of the federal government to increase the economic opportunities of the nation and enhance the transnational investment process. Umahi spoke during a meeting with a delegation from the AfDB led by the director of Infrastructure and Urban Development, Mike Salawou, in Abuja.
The project, the minister said, would provide enduring infrastructure and industries along the corridors and is expected to carry a large network of paved highways that will create a good transport environment and trade routes for moving goods and services along the North-south corridors. Umahi said opportunities for investment in infrastructure development abound along the coastal and Trans-Sahara routes, including opportunities for investment in the hospitality industry, tourism, agricultural production, estates, parks, and industrial businesses. He said that funding would be required to tackle the sections of the highways not yet constructed, awarded, or taken over by concessionaires under the Highway Development and Management Initiative(HDMI).
