By Rotimi Ijikanmi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
For millions of Nigerians, the removal of fuel subsidy remains synonymous with hardship, rising prices and shrinking purchasing power, with President Bola Tinubu often bearing the brunt of public anger.
Away from the national debate, another story is unfolding. State governments, beneficiaries of increased federal allocations, now have more resources at their disposal than before.
What happens to those additional funds? Are they finding expression in projects that Nigerians can see, touch and benefit from, or is the story more complicated?
In Benue and Nasarawa states, a tour of selected projects offers a rare opportunity to look beyond the figures and examine what the new revenue reality means on the ground.
The findings may not provide all the answers, but they offer intriguing clues about where the money is going, and whether increased allocations are beginning to change lives.
On Aug. 5, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Presidential Media Team, led by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Strategy, embarked on the journey to inspect Federal Government and the states infrastructure projects.
For five days, the road into Benue and Nasarawa became a moving test of perception, with a presidential media team traversing routes once feared for attacks, without incident.
More than 40 senior editors, social media handlers, cameramen, photographers and support staff members joined the convoy, creating a sizeable travelling media contingent from the Presidential Villa.
Among the officials were Mr Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties; Mr Tope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Director in the Villa Media Unit, Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye.
Others included Mr Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Senior Special Assistant on Print Media; Mr Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant on Digital Media; and Ms Linda Akhigbe, Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communication.
The journey from Abuja provided the first evidence of transformation, as sections of the Abuja-Makurdi highway offered smoother travel, wider lanes and safer overtaking.
The Keffi to Makurdi corridor, once notorious for potholes, congestion and dangerous head-on collisions, now supports faster movement between the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa and Benue states.
The Lafia bypass has reduced transit through the town from about 45 minutes to roughly 15 minutes, while motorists report significantly shorter journeys between Keffi and Makurdi.
The highway is also an economic artery, carrying agricultural produce, livestock, fuel and other goods towards major markets, while improved connectivity creates opportunities for traders and farmers.
Its transformation illustrates the value of policy continuity, with a project initiated under former President Muhammadu Buhari progressing under Tinubu in spite of financing challenges, COVID-19 disruptions and inflation.
The 25-year maintenance arrangement, supported by tolling, is intended to preserve the road, fund repairs and reduce pressure on annual government budgets.
Yet the journey was about more than roads. The convoy travelled through communities where insecurity had previously constrained movement, without recording an attack or security incident.
That experience does not mean Benue is completely safe. Rather, it suggests a more nuanced picture, with improved security, increased movement and returning residents gradually changing the state’s narrative.
Governor Hyacinth Alia said some internally displaced persons were voluntarily returning home to farm, prompting plans to close some of the state’s 15 IDP camps.
Development and security appeared intertwined at Taraku, where government is reviving a N70 billion mill abandoned for about four decades, potentially creating 2,000 direct and indirect jobs.
At Buruku, the ongoing Katsina-Ala River Bridge offers another example of infrastructure addressing both safety and development, with nearly 200 reported deaths from boat mishaps over three years.
The bridge is expected to eliminate a dangerous crossing, connect communities and expand economic opportunities while reducing risks associated with river transportation.
The team also inspected the Food Basket Brewery, a state-owned plant that produces premium lager and other beverages, adding value to Benue’s agricultural resources while providing locally made products for consumers.
Beyond production, the brewery supports livelihoods through direct and indirect employment, stimulates business activities, and strengthens Benue’s economy by creating opportunities across its value chain.
In Nasarawa state, Governor Abdullahi Sule provided perhaps the clearest explanation of how increased allocations are translating into projects.
He said monthly federal allocations rose from about N3.8 billion-N4.5 billion to an average N14 billion-N16 billion after the reforms.
According to Sule, the increased revenue enabled Nasarawa to execute infrastructure projects worth about N90 billion without bank borrowing, compared with previous difficulty raising N5 billion for one market.
The governor attributed the expanded fiscal space to Tinubu’s reforms, particularly fuel subsidy removal, arguing that the President “took the bullet” for governors.
The state secretariat, powered partly by a one-megawatt solar plant, consolidates ministries previously scattered across dilapidated offices, while officials consider extending excess electricity to neighbouring communities.
The state government is constructing a flyover at Total Junction, Keffi, to address a crash-prone section of the Abuja-Keffi road where 225 lives have been lost.
The project, expected by year-end, will feature a circular intersection and ramps designed to improve safety, traffic flow and connectivity while supporting commercial activities around Keffi.
In Akwanga, the state constructed about four kilometres road, linking two federal highways and a 600-metre overhead structure to ease congestion and improve movement between southern Nigeria and the North-East.
Meanwhile, the N44 billion Mararaba flyover is also targeted for December completion, following expanded project scope, including pedestrian bridges, improved ramps, adequate headroom and compensation for affected property owners.
The 2.6-kilometre Mararaba project is expected to cut Abuja-Keffi travel time from over two hours to under 40 minutes, reduce gridlock, improve safety and stimulate economic activity.
The flyover is also expected to provide long-awaited succour to motorists and commuters who have endured decade-long gridlock, delays, fuel wastage and stress along the Abuja-Keffi corridor.
Other projects inspected included the N16 billion Shandam Road and Tinubu Interchange, flood-control works, flyovers, roads, bridges and skill-acquisition facilities.
Nasarawa is also investing in healthcare, agriculture and mining, including 10,000 hectares for rice production and lithium-processing plants designed to promote local value addition and industrial employment.
The wider inspection revealed a similar pattern across both states: roads, bridges, revived industries, water infrastructure and economic projects are being positioned as foundations for development.
These developments demonstrate that difficult reforms can produce meaningful outcomes when additional resources are responsibly channelled into infrastructure and economic development.
Ultimately, the emerging transformation offers Nigerians reasons for optimism, while reinforcing the case for continuity, stronger implementation and renewed confidence in the Tinubu administration
Little wonder, Tunde Rahman, at the end of the inspection tour said the projects by the two states demonstrated benefits emerging from the administration’s reforms.
He argued that Nigerians should judge the administration by visible outcomes, saying the difficulties accompanying the reforms were gradually giving way to benefits.
Onanuga on his part said Tinubu deserves commendation for courageously undertaking reforms that have expanded resources available to states and enabled visible infrastructure development across Nigeria.
The spokesperson said the President has demonstrated visionary leadership by confronting longstanding economic challenges while laying foundations for sustainable growth, industrialisation and greater opportunities for Nigerians.
He said with the reforms increasingly yielding tangible results, Nigerians should sustain the Renewed Hope agenda and give the President another mandate through the 2027 presidential election.(NANFeatures)
*** if used credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi