FG opens bid for concession of 12 highways June 1

The federal government has announced that it will officially open the bid for the concession of 12 highways to the private sectors on June 1, 2021.

This is contained in a statement by Boade Akinola, director of press and public relations in the ministry of works and housing.

The ministry said the concession is under its highway development and management initiative (HDMI).

HDMI is to develop and manage the federal road network through private sector investment, thus maximising the use of assets along the right of way.

The 12 federal highways for concession under the first phase of the HDMI are Benin-Asaba, Abuja-Lokoja; Kaduna-Kano; Onitsha-Owerri-Aba; Shagamu-Benin; Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga.

Others include Lokoja-Benin; Enugu-Port Harcourt; Ilorin-Jebba; Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta; Lagos-Badagry; and Kano-Shuari-PortisKum-Damaturu.

Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, had received the certificate of compliance for the outline business case for the HDMI in December 2020, setting the stage for the commencement of procurement for concession of the roads.

This followed the official launch of the e-portal by Fashola on March 29, 2021 for the public to access all the information concerning the process and put in their applications.

According to the statement, applications were received from interested prospective concessionaires in response to the request for qualification (RfQ) thereby paving the way for opening the bid on June 1.

The ministry said the initiative is aimed at creating an alternative source of financing road development and management across the country while unlocking the massive economic potential of the project routes with attendant job creation.