Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has set a new date for the completion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road project.

The project was billed to have been completed in 2020.

However, the ministry said on Friday, it will complete the project in 2023.

Nigeria’s current government administration’s tenure elapses in 2023.

The Director, Highways Construction and Rehabilitation, FMWH, Funso Adebiyi, disclosed this during the ongoing visit to the project site to assess the progress of work on the project.

He was quoted in a statement issued in Abuja by the ministry’s Deputy Director, Press, Salisu Haiba, as saying “We are satisfied with the quality of work going on and we are working to increase the pace of work.

“Work is going on simultaneously on all sections of both lanes of the dual carriage 375km long road from Abuja to Kaduna and to Kano.”

Adebiyi explained that the road was initially meant for rehabilitation, but noted that full reconstruction work was currently ongoing.

He appealed to road users to bear the discomfort being experienced every day as a result of blockages and diversions.

He stated it was a necessary action in the construction of an infrastructure of such magnitude, adding that the volume of vehicular traffic on the road was high.

On the level of work done so far, Adebiyi said, “We have made a lot of progress. Over 100km, although not at a stretch, have been completed under section one to three (Abuja-Kano).

“Also, 40km has been completed under section two (Kaduna-Zaria), and 70km completed under section three (Zaria-Kano).”

He stated that while some sections of the road were also at different levels of completion, remedial works were being carried out on the sections that were critically bad in order to facilitate movement.

The Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road reconstruction project was awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc on December 20, 2017.

The project commenced on May 21, 2018 with the 36 months completion period.