President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate rollout of the National Construction and Household Support Programme in a bid to enhance agricultural productivity, stimulate economic growth, and provide urgent economic relief to Nigerians
The initiative will cover all geo-political zones in the country, prioritizing critical infrastructure projects and economic support measures.
Under the new programme, the Sokoto-Badagry Highway is a top priority. The project will span Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos, facilitating agricultural sustainability and connectivity across these states.
The corridor includes 216 agricultural communities, 58 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, the Trans-Saharan Highway, the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway, and the Ibadan-Abuja Segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway.
The programme also includes several economic support measures including a one-off allocation of N10 billion to states and the Federal Capital Territory, a N50,000 uplift grant to 100,000 families per state for three months, provision for labour unions and civil society organizations and N155 billion for the purchase and distribution of assorted foodstuffs nationwide.
Speaking at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of inter-state collaboration to meet the needs of citizens.
He reiterated his commitment to providing the necessary support for agricultural mechanization, high-quality seedlings, and solar-powered irrigation facilities.
“Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required of us 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,” President Tinubu stated.
He highlighted the pivotal role of the Sokoto-Badagry Highway in boosting food production, noting that the states within this axis form the food belt of the nation, with Badagry serving as a key artery for food export.
“There is nothing we are doing that is more important than producing high-quality food for our people to consume, buy, and sell. We create jobs in the production of it. And that is before we generate wealth by exporting the excess,” the president added.
President Tinubu urged state governors to report back within seven days with their support requirements and plans to achieve the targets.
“We must deliver on our targets at all levels,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Tinubu, has approved N985 million for the procurement of body scanners at the Abuja and Lagos international airports.
The announcement was made by Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, during a briefing with State House correspondents following the FEC meeting on Tuesday.
Fagbemi stated that three items were submitted for approval, with one being the procurement of two units of body scanners to be used at the Abuja and Lagos International Airports for N985 million.
