Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed
Bauchi State has secured a $91.6 million financing package from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) to fund the construction of 24 strategic roads and bridges across the state.
Governor Bala Mohammed disclosed this while addressing journalists after returning from the formal signing of the Bauchi State Transport Infrastructure Financing Programme at the bank’s headquarters in Lomé, Togo.
According to the governor, the infrastructure project is designed to improve the state’s transportation network, enhance connectivity and accelerate economic activities by providing better access to communities and commercial centres.
He said the investment would improve connectivity, strengthen the state’s transport network, facilitate “movement of people and agricultural produce, expand access to markets and drive sustainable economic development.”
Governor Mohammed expressed appreciation to EBID for supporting Bauchi State’s development agenda and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to prudent management of the funds.
The governor, who described the approval as a significant milestone for the state, assured residents that the financing would be managed with transparency and accountability.
He stated that “every dollar would be judiciously utilized to deliver the projects and achieve their intended socio-economic benefits.”
Governor Mohammed led the Bauchi State delegation to the signing ceremony. Members of the team included the Secretary to the State Government, Aminu Hammayo; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hassan El-Yakub; the Commissioner for Finance, Sadiq Hamisu Shira; alongside other government officials.
The road and bridge projects are expected to generate employment opportunities, reduce transportation delays and costs, improve access to markets, and strengthen agricultural and commercial supply chains across the state.
Speaking shortly after the agreement was signed, EBID President George Agyekum Donkor stressed the importance of infrastructure investment to economic growth.
He said, “Countries that have achieved sustainable industrialisation have done so through consistent investment in infrastructure.”
Donkor added that an efficient road network remains vital for business expansion and economic development, noting that Nigeria has made considerable progress in diversifying its economy beyond oil.
However, he emphasized that “sustained investment in infrastructure remains essential to maintaining that momentum.”
He further described the Bauchi State Transport Infrastructure Programme as a strategic investment, noting that Bauchi is one of Nigeria’s largest states with enormous agricultural potential that can only be fully unlocked through an efficient transportation network.
