By Precious Mark
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the 1,000-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway will boost agriculture and open new economic opportunities for communities along its corridor, including Kebbi State.
Speaking on Thursday following a courtesy visit by the Kebbi State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Yakubu Ahmed Birnin-Kebbi, and members of the governor’s media team, Idris disclosed that about 250 kilometres of the superhighway would traverse Kebbi State.
The Minister explained that the strategic road project is designed to stimulate trade, improve transport connectivity, and strengthen local economies across the participating states.
“The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway is not just designed to link communities, states, and cities together. It is also designed to provide an avenue for the advancement of economic activities in the corridor. About 250 kilometres of that superhighway will pass through Kebbi State,” Idris stated.
He noted that the infrastructure initiative goes beyond road transit, highlighting that approximately 63 dams are planned along the corridor to support irrigation, power generation, and commercial farming activities.
Commending the Kebbi State Government for its partnership with the Federal Government in security, infrastructure, and agricultural initiatives, Idris reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to delivering development directly to citizens in the states.
“I have witnessed firsthand what collaboration between the Federal Government and the states can achieve in agriculture. In Kebbi, we saw large-scale tomato farming and women actively participating in agriculture and earning livelihoods,” he said.
Idris added, “The population of Nigeria exists mainly in the states, not in Abuja. That is why the Federal Government continues to work with state governments to take development to where the people are.”
Speaking earlier during the visit, the Kebbi State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Yakubu Ahmed Birnin-Kebbi, explained that the delegation was in Abuja to highlight the state’s progress and strengthen its relationship with the Federal Government.
“We are here to tell the story of Kebbi State and to show the progress being made. With the support of the Federal Government, Kebbi has enormous potential for agriculture, infrastructure, and economic development,” Birnin-Kebbi stated.