President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate implementation of the National Construction and Household Support Programme, which will cover all six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. During a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, Tinubu urged governors to submit within seven days the lists of support required by their states to alleviate the suffering of the people. He also emphasized the importance of meeting targets on food security.
Tinubu highlighted the Sokoto-Badagry Highway as a crucial project, noting that the states within this corridor form the nation’s food belt, with Badagry being a key route for food export.
“Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required to meet the needs of our people. Time is humanity’s most precious asset. You can never have enough of it. It is getting late,” Tinubu said.
He assured governors of support, including the mechanization of agricultural processes, provision of high-quality seedlings, and solar-powered irrigation facilities to support farmers across seasons. Tinubu stressed the importance of producing sufficient food for domestic consumption and export, which would create jobs and generate wealth.
“How much support do you need from me and in what form? I am prepared to provide it. But we must achieve the result. We must deliver on our targets at all levels. Please report back following your consultations and submit to my office within seven days,” he added.
According to a release by presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale, the intervention aims to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen the economy by creating opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, and construction, and provide urgent economic relief for Nigerians.
The Sokoto-Badagry Highway, traversing Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos, was prioritized for its strategic importance to agricultural sustainability. The corridor includes 216 agricultural communities, 58 large and medium dams, seven Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), 156 local government areas, 39 commercial cities and towns, and over one million hectares of arable land.
Other prioritized infrastructure projects include the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Trans-Saharan Highway linking Enugu, Abakaliki, Ogoja, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Abuja. Tinubu also approved full counterpart financing for the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway and the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway.
The support programme also includes a one-off allocation of ₦10 billion to states and the Federal Capital Territory for the procurement of buses and a CNG uplift programme. Additionally, it provides ₦50,000 uplift grants to 100,000 families per state for three months, support for labor unions and civil society organizations, and the deployment of ₦155 billion for the purchase and distribution of assorted foodstuffs across the country.
