Tinubu Opens South-East to Major Trade Opportunities via Trans-Saharan Superhighway – TDF

The Democratic Front (TDF) has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is opening up the South-East geopolitical zone to significant trade and economic opportunities through the ongoing construction of the 123.6-kilometre Trans-Saharan Superhighway project.

The group said the strategic highway corridor, which stretches from Ebonyi State through parts of the South-South axis and connects to Benue State, Kogi State and Nasarawa State in the North-Central, represents a major boost for regional integration, commerce and cross-border trade. The project is estimated to cost N668 billion.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, TDF described the project as a bold infrastructural intervention with far-reaching economic implications for the South-East and the country at large.

According to the group, the highway is not only a transport corridor but also a historic economic gateway capable of reshaping trade dynamics across Nigeria and beyond.

“Although the superhighway is not the only road currently under construction in the region, the scale and huge cost of the project, coupled with the economic relevance of that corridor to the people and commerce of the South-East, make it one of the most important infrastructural projects ever implemented by any government in the region,” the statement read.

TDF also referenced remarks by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who noted that the project revives a colonial-era infrastructural plan that was abandoned by successive governments due to funding constraints and lack of political will.

Beyond its economic value, the group stressed that the highway would significantly ease interstate movement, reduce travel bottlenecks, and strengthen social and cultural interactions among Nigerians across the connected states.

The organisation further argued that President Tinubu has, from inception, prioritised the development of the South-East, citing the establishment of the South East Development Commission and its mobilisation with an initial N140 billion take-off grant.

“We recall that the President graciously established the South East Development Commission (SEDC), alongside other regional development commissions in the country, and also mobilised the SEDC with the sum of N140 billion as an initial take-off grant,” the group stated.

TDF maintained that the South-East has historically sought greater federal attention since the end of the Nigerian civil war in 1970, adding that the current administration’s interventions in the region surpass previous efforts.

It also commended what it described as the equitable distribution of developmental projects across all geopolitical zones under the Tinubu administration, regardless of political affiliation.

According to the group, these achievements are tied to the administration’s Renewed Hope economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates.

The group urged residents of the South-East to continue supporting the administration to ensure timely completion of ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Trans-Saharan Superhighway.