I have been running a thought for some years now on road networks in Nigeria. As it is, our intra state networks are nothing to write home about save some states, not to talk of the inter state net works. Roads like the Benin - Ore road have been known as graveyards for so many years with every passing government doing nothing to improve their standards.

A visit to developed and some developing Nations will show that developing a good and very effective road network isn't rocket science if only the government of the day shows a will. In Germany they have the autobahn, in UK they have the motorways.

Proposal
In light of this I am making a proposal and will like your thoughts. I propose that the government gives a well known road construction company like Julius Berger, the contract of building Nigeria's own motorway. This motorway should be a wide road net work of at least 3 lanes on each carriage way and should run through all the states of the federation with smaller access roads. So the motorway itself is like a ring going round Nigeria but with 'branches' into all the states.

Maintenance
The coy that wins the contract for construction of this motorway is also given the task of maintaining it for a number of years say 50years. However, government must set a standard for the quality of the roads year in year out and the coy must maintain that standard. The standard will also include the number of functioning street lights at specific places on the motorway and emmergency telephone centres at strategiv points. The phone centres will have direct access to emmergency call centres that motorists can use at anytime of the day to call for help in whatever form. The phones will not be able to call any other number.

Funding
Fundig for this project will be an agreement between government and the coy. Government pays a quarter of the cost over the period of construction and the coy is then given a concession of maintaining a number of modern toll gates on the motorway for the 50 years to recover the three-quarters balance of constructing the road.

The coy will also make profit by having full rights to advertisements on the motorway for the period of 50 years. The ads in form of billboards will still be standardized by the appropriate ad agency in Naija.

Another means of revenue is the creation of rest zones at appropriate places on the motorway. The rest zones will have mini relaxation spots where motorists can come in and relax before embarking on the rest of their journey. It may even have motels so motorists who want to rest can stay over night.

50 years and beyond

After the 50 years, the coys will remove the tolls and hand over to government. Every previously managed product on the motorway will also be handed back to government. I am at this stage hoping that Naija will not have this set of corrupt and irresponsible govt in 50 years time (God forbid). However, an alternative if to throw the bidding process open again after 50 years. This time, the winning coy gets rights to maintain the road quality wise while taking in all revenue collected vis the methods highlighted above for another period of years. When this is over, bidding starts again and the process continues.

I feel that the above will solve our transport by road issues in Naija and reduce accidents and thus fatalities on our roads.

Your contributions please.

That will be a great idea. One problem with nigeria is that nothing really works. Our political class has a way of inventing corruption in all sectors. How i wish this idea works.

That will be a great idea. One problem with nigeria is that nothing really works. Our political class has a way of inventing corruption in all sectors. How i wish this idea works.


The whole Idea about this project was it would be one big ring road around Nigeria.

The first stage - Badagry to Sokoto

The Second stage - Sokoto to Maiduguri with arteries to Kano and Kaduna.

The 3rd stage - Maiduguri to Calabar- that is from the NE to the SE- with arteries to Yola, Markurdi, Enugu, Owerri

The 4th stage East to West Coastline Road that is from Calabar to Port Harcourt to the Coastal towns of Rivers then to the costal towns of Delta state to Ondo State back to Lagos State through Epe and then to Lekki Penisula. It would have gone full circle when it gets back to Lagos.

When it was first muted Nigeria was a very rich nation with a strong currency, I dont think any goverment today would want to embark on such a project it would cost millions if not billions of dollars.

Thanks all for the responses so far.

@ Knowall, in terms of funding, I do not think it should be a problem. I have highlighted my idea for funding. This can be modified and improved as deemed fit. Govt goesn't need to fund the whole thing.

However, even with that said, considering the millions of dollars stolen everyday can we still say we are not a 'rich' Nation?

I will also like to know, I am not an economist so please pardon my naievity. Sanusi 'printed' the 400billion loaned to the 'distressed' banks as a 'loan' to be recovered later. Can we also do the same in the case of this road project? print the money needed and recover it back over a certain number of years?

Please its an honest question and I have no intention of letting this thread drift into a political discourse. Im just wondering if its possible or not.

front page!!

nice initiative on this one

fg ?? for how long will yall fool around?

fundin is never a wahala if they really gona do it but in a suitation emm under OBj-Uba billion meant for road revampment gone missing

fundin is never the wahala

Just got back to into the UK from Houston and LA. Those places never cease to amaze me. The road networks there are excellent. Flyovers and roads that are several hundred metres above ground level. . . with several levels of roads above each other. . .

Our leaders are just idiots. They travel to these places everyday and do not learn anything. After enjoying the comfort and beauty of the US infrastructure, they come back to Nigeria to terrorize the poor citizens on our narrow death traps called roads. Its a shame, a big shame

Epiphany:

Just got back to into the UK from Houston and LA. Those places never cease to amaze me. The road networks there are excellent. Flyovers and roads that are several hundred metres above ground level. . . with several levels of roads above each other. . .

Our leaders are just idiots. They travel to these places everyday and do not learn anything. After enjoying the comfort and beauty of the US infrastructure, they come back to Nigeria to terrorize the poor citizens on our narrow death traps called roads. Its a shame, a big shame

no be to pour asphalt on to mud road, use rake level am and wait to motor to waka on top am to 'smooth' am we dey call road construction for here? why are u think say once rain fall small like this everything don turn to surface of the moon withing short time.

@must_a_far

O boy, you harsh o!

Nice ideas but i doubt if anyone in position to effect it will listen. That is our problem in Nigeria. We can identify the better life but not many will support it.

Nigerians/ Africans are so primitive i mean it seems they dont want to improve BASIC Nessacities needed in the 21 century. sometimes i just dont get how these people reason

Anytime im in Naija i just think to myself how do Majority of people survive here,

You have just come up with a great idea of reducing deaths on our major roads, but the problem here is our leaders who do not see beyond their noses when its comes to infrastructure (long-term projects) cos of their corrupt practises

@poster
U wan build M25 for naija?
My side wan burst with laff!!

Its an idea sha.

Not possible - Until we have a people elected leader the status quo remains

Even person wey dey live for Ajegunle go talk say him just arrive from Oklahoma, LA, NY Buffalo, NJ and all these places wey him dey see for TV.

major catches:

continuity - any project that cannot be completed within an administration's tenure is almost always DOA with the next administration

Marginalisation noise - if the road does not pass through some quarters, or construction is not slated to start in some quarters, the project will be killed by shouts of 'marginalisation'

if that road is passing through the east/niger delta, and parts of lagos, omo niles and communities will do their best to hamper it

and of course, nigerian politicians will try to kill the project if they cannot get thier prefeered contractors in on the action

May God help our nation Nigeria!

major catches:

continuity - any project that cannot be completed within an administration's tenure is almost always DOA with the next administration

Marginalisation noise - if the road does not pass through some quarters, or construction is not slated to start in some quarters, the project will be killed by shouts of 'marginalisation'

if that road is passing through the east/niger delta, and parts of lagos, omo niles and communities will do their best to hamper it

and of course, nigerian politicians will try to kill the project if they cannot get thier prefeered contractors in on the action

at this point in time nigeria dnt need comment like this my friend

i think u re part of the wahala

Nigeria

another avenue to embezzle funds

Funding will be an issue, particularly how the costs would be apportioned between the feds and the states where the roads will pass through. laws need to be overhauled before intricate projects like this can be effected and maintained properly.

AjaraEwuro:

Even person wey dey live for Ajegunle go talk say him just arrive from Oklahoma, LA, NY Buffalo, NJ and all these places wey him dey see for TV.

So what are u tryin to say?

The same idea is being done by Bi-Courtney, in which they agreed to re-construct to international standards the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in return for a 25 year concession agreement--where Bi-Courtney will recoup its investments from tolls, rentals, etc. I hope another malo regime does not breach the covenant.

but sry to sound pessimistic.;have you forgotten that ASUU's on a 3 month strike?

koolchicco:

So what are u tryin to say?

it appears that he is saying that Nigeria does not deserve the same type of infrastructure found in Oklahoma, NJ,

The project outlined is a good project. Problem is funding. Where does the "Julius berger" get funds for the project. The project outlined wouldn't cost less than $40 billion dollars going under a zero corruption situation.
The issue of funding is the critical part. Funding would have been accessible if foreign investment funds were confident of our political stability.
Problem is people like Yar Adua and Sanusi have proved to those potentials investors that Nigeria is a no go area for your funds.
There is no guarantee that after 4 years of concessioning the infrastructure, a new government wouldn't reverse the order.

Princek12:

it appears that he is saying that Nigeria does not deserve the same type of infrastructure found in Oklahoma, NJ,

What?You cant be serious. I reckon he's tryna mock someone(Epiphany)._{me thinks}

Or we can just "re-brand" the roads, instead of building it, as suggested by Prof. Akinluyi. That is the fastest, cheapest, and dumbest way.

nice idea. i think the president is too busy taking care of his health than considering nigerian problems. anyways, i think you can still go along way to helping by forwarding this to the appropriate quarters.
you got a great mind BRO!

Princek12:

Or we can just "re-brand" the roads, instead of building it, as suggested by Prof. Akinluyi. That is the fastest, cheapest, and dumbest way.

i_am_model:

nice idea. i think the president is too busy taking care of his health than considering nigerian problems. anyways, i think you can still go along way to helping by forwarding this to the appropriate quarters.
you got a great mind BRO!

Thanks

I wish I knew where to send it to.

I was thinkign the other day that Nigerians in technical fields should organise seminars and technical workshops to discuss way out of problems in Nigeria. In these workshops, they should develop working proposals like the one highlighted above and submit to governor/president.
Im hoping I can organise something like this in the UK. Nigerians do have great minds and synergy will help someway in moving our Nation forward.

proudly9ja:

Thanks

I wish I knew where to send it to.

I was thinkign the other day that Nigerians in technical fields should organise seminars and technical workshops to discuss way out of problems in Nigeria. In these workshops, they should develop working proposals like the one highlighted above and submit to governor/president.
Im hoping I can organise something like this in the UK. Nigerians do have great minds and synergy will help someway in moving our Nation forward.

@poster,
Good idea, but believe me that there are many proposals already in custody of the federal govt. Even something better than what Bi-Courtney has offered to do on Lagos-Ibadan! We need to first get over the nonsense ethnic problems plaguing the nation before any meaningful development can take place. Check with the National assembly and you will know that federal projects are shared based on stupid sentiments. Also, without true federalism we cannot go far. Nigeria is a difficult nation with nothing uniting us as of today.