By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike on Thursday terminated the 14-year-old contract for the 13.2-kilometre Apo-Karshi road and immediately re-awarded it to Salini Construction Company under emergency procurement, ending years of stagnation on the strategic route.
The minister revealed the decision during a media briefing after inspecting multiple road projects in the territory. He stated that machinery from the new contractor is already on site and work has commenced on the road linking Apo to Karshi.
“We have terminated that contract and it has been awarded to SCC. If you go there now, you will see that they have started work. It is a road that so many people are very interested in because it will decongest some of these areas,” Wike told journalists.
The Apo-Karshi road was first awarded in 2011 but remained largely abandoned despite its importance in reducing traffic pressure on the Abuja-Keffi Expressway. The new contract was flagged as an emergency intervention to ensure timely completion.
During the same tour, Wike inspected ongoing works on the Karu road reconstruction, the Outer Southern Expressway dual carriageways, and Katampe District Collector Road CN2, all scheduled for completion and commissioning by June 2026.
He also announced that the award of an alternative road linking Kubwa and Bwari to Salini Construction Company and reiterated that the FCT Administration will prioritise finishing existing projects in 2026 instead of starting new ones.
