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Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima says the government’s infrastructure drive is deliberately focused on bringing development closer to where citizens live and move, as he commissioned the rehabilitated Karu road corridor in the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking at the event, Shettima said the administration, since assuming office, has recognised that “true development must reach where the people actually live, work, and commute,” stressing that key transport corridors like Karu have long suffered from congestion that has weakened productivity and mobility.
He noted that the renewed road network is designed to go beyond surface repairs, describing the intervention as one that “is not just laying asphalt, we are injecting life back into the local economy.” According to him, the upgraded infrastructure will significantly reduce travel time, ease persistent gridlock, and improve business activity in one of Abuja’s most densely populated districts.
Security and safety were also central to the project, with Shettima highlighting the installation of solar-powered streetlights across the corridor. He said the lighting system removes “dark stretches,” reduces exposure to nighttime crime, and improves visibility for motorists and pedestrians.
The Vice President also commended the ongoing urban renewal efforts in the capital, praising the FCT administration’s supervision and describing its implementation approach as “dogged, relentless, and focused.” He said the visible transformation across Abuja reflects a coordinated effort to modernise the city’s infrastructure framework.
He further acknowledged the contractor, Abdul Baal Nigeria Limited, for what he described as timely, high-quality delivery, adding that the project demonstrates that local firms can meet high engineering and project management standards.
Shettima urged residents of Karu, including community leaders, traders, and youth groups, to take ownership of the project by protecting it from vandalism and avoiding practices such as indiscriminate dumping that could block drainage channels.
“This infrastructure is yours,” he said, calling on residents to ensure the road serves as a foundation for safer movement, stronger commerce, and long-term community development.
The Vice President, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, formally commissioned the upgraded Karu Interchange–Customs Clinic Junction corridor and adjoining roads, describing the project as part of broader efforts to strengthen the Federal Capital Territory’s economic and urban resilience.
