8-Year ScroreCard: Examining Infrastructural Developments Under President Buhari

In his 8 years of administration, President Buhari had some big and most ambitious federal infrastructure programme since Nigeria’s Independence.

From railway project to agriculture to construction of dams, it seemed to be a smooth sail for the administration, completing projects and starting new ones.

The Lagos-Ibadan double-track line has been under construction by CCECC since March 2017 and was inaugurated at the new Lagos Central Station on June 10, 2021.

It is 157 km long and passes through Abeokuta. It is the first double-track standard gauge line in West Africa.

A Lagos-Ibadan journey takes two and a half hours, half as long as the equivalent car journey. All compartments (standard class, business class and first class) are air-conditioned and have three overhead screens.

The window seats are equipped with power outlets and USB charging stations.

Criticisms include the fact that tickets are not available online and only for cash payment, and that there are only three trips a day in each direction. There is praise for the punctuality and cleanliness of the trains.

The Cape Gauge tracks, which continue to exist, are to be shared by the “Red Line” of the Lagos Light Rail, which is currently under construction.

RAIL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• 156km Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail completed and commissioned, within a Nigerian-record-time of 4 years (2017 to 2021).

• 8.72km extension to Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line, to Lagos Port Complex, completed in 2021.

• 186km Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge Rail Line, completed and commissioned in 2016.

• 327km Itakpe-Warri Standard Gauge Rail completed and commissioned in 2020, 33 years after construction began.

• As part of this project, there was the full rehabilitation of the Railway Village, Agbor, as well as construction of a Railway Ancillary Facilities Yard, also in Agbor. In 2021 the Line commenced commercial freight haulage, transporting pipelines for the AKK Gas Pipeline project.

• Commencement of the E-Ticketing concession process for the Lagos-Ibadan and Warri-Itakpe Standard Gauge Rail Lines. The scope of the project is to Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Manage Secure Ticketing Solution systems (Hardware and Software) for the two lines.

• Completion of the E-Ticketing concession process on Abuja-Kaduna Route in 2021, which increased the monthly generated revenue from less than N200 Million to N400 Million.

• Abuja Light Rail completed in 2018.

• Construction has commenced on Kaduna-Kano Standard Gauge Rail Line, following the ground-breaking by President Buhari in July 2021.

• Ground-breaking done by President Buhari for construction of 284km Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Rail (with branch line to Dutse), preliminary works started 2021.

• Ground-breaking done by President Buhari for complete revamp of Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Narrow Gauge Rail. Work has kicked off in 2022.

• 377 Wagons, 64 Coaches, and 21 Locomotives (including DMUs) purchased for the Standard Gauge network, between 2016 and 2021.

The achievements was marred by insecurity.

On 28 March 2022, an Abuja–Kaduna train was attacked in Katari, Kaduna State, Nigeria. In response, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) briefly halted operations along the route.

January 8, 2023, Eyewitnesses said kidnappers that attacked a sub-station of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC in Igueben, south-south Edo State and abducted over 30 passengers and staff, because the train station was not protected by security men.

This is hoping that the incoming administration will put up security measures to ensure that the railways are safe for commuters.

Rice Mill Project

Let’s talk about Rice Revolution, Nigeria is the largest producer of rice in Africa, producing about 8,435,000 tonnes annually, followed by Egypt, Madagascar, Tanzania and Mali according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

In line with the estimated installed infrastructure of the facility, the production capacity of the rice mill in Imota, Ikorodu, lagos, south-west Nigeria will set it among the largest in the world, and the largest in sub-Saharan Africa.

So on January 23, 2023, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the two million metric tonnes per hour Lagos Rice Mill in Imota, Lagos State, Nigeria’s south west.

Governor of lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while speaking on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, noted that the President is happy about the project, adding that the Lagos Rice Mill is part of the State Government’s resolve to complement the Federal Government ‘s rice revolution.

He further informed that the Rice Mill which is the largest in Africa and third largest in the world will generate about 250,000 direct and indirect jobs for Lagosians which will in turn contribute immensely to the economy of the immediate community playing host to the Rice Mill, Lagos State, Nigeria and Africa in general.

Refurbishment of Dams

Let’s look at dams refurbishment, The Federal Government says it had improved water supply in the country through the rehabilitation of river basins.

It also stated that it had completed the rehabilitation of dams across 22 states, while it continued to work on several dam projects.

This was contained in a 60-page report made available to LN247.

The report titled, ‘President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration scorecard in the water sector (2015-2023)’, was presented by the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu in December 2022.

While stating that the ministry inherited 116 water supply and hydropower irrigation projects since the 1980s, the ministry also stressed that it had completed “hundreds of projects through the River Basin Authorities to improve water supply.”

The scorecard listed Patigi Water Supply Project, Patigi, Kwara State, ABU Zaria Water Supply Project, Zaria, Kaduna State, and Ezealakpaka Water Supply Project, Mbano, Imo State, Damaturu Water Supply Project LOT B and C, Damaturu, Yobe State, Akanu Water Supply Project Ohafia, Abia State, Uburu Water Supply Project Ohaozala, Ebonyi State, Nasarawa Water Supply Project Nasarawa State, Amla-Otukpo Dam Benue State, among others as the interventions made by the Federal Government.

The ministry also noted it had collaborated with the private sector to provide jobs for the youths through its various water management projects. It stressed that it has increased the number of jobs from 8,882 in 2019 to over 16,648 in 2022.

Providing statistics on the availability of clean and accessible water in the country, the ministry noted that Nigerians had more access to improved, clean and potable water.

On the rehabilitation and management of dams, the ministry stated that four hundred Dams in Nigeria which can provide 11.2 Billion Cubic Metres of water for irrigation, 900MCM for water supply, and 18BCM for hydropower generation have been activated.

President Buhari Launches Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam

So to wrap things up, President Muhammadu Buhari on May 18, 2023 inaugurated the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam, 40MW Hydropower Station and Associated 132KV Switchyard, Transmission Line, and Distribution Substation (Phase I) Project, located at the Kashimbila Dam site in Taraba State.

Speaking at a virtual ceremony held at the Council Chamber, State House, Abuja, the President underscored the importance of the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam project, highlighting its role in his administration’s commitment to achieving the target of 30GW of electricity in the country by 2030, under the Electricity Vision 30:30:30.

President Buhari, while inviting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, to unveil the project on his behalf, noted that the Electricity Vision initiative aims to have renewable energy contribute at least 30% to the energy mix, thereby expediting the expansion of electricity access.

The President also said the implementation and completion of the Kashimbila projects align with his government’s policies to alleviate poverty, generate employment opportunities, enhance healthcare services, and improve Nigerians’ overall standard of living.

The President said Phase I of the Power Evacuation Component of the Project includes the 132KV Switchyard, four substations at Takum, Wukari, Rafin Kada, Donga, and the rehabilitation of the existing 132KV Yandev substation.

He added that it also involves the installation of a 245km, 132KV Double Circuits line from Kashimbila to Takum, Wukari, Yandev, as well as a 45km, 33kv Double Circuits line from Wukari to Donga through Rafin Kada. 

The President assured Nigerians that other projects aimed at boosting electricity supply, such as the 40MW Dadinkowa Hydropower Plant in Gombe State and the 700MW Zungeru Hydropower Plant in Niger State, are also ready for commissioning.

Sad to say that Nigeria still has the lowest access to electricity globally, with about 92 million persons out of the country’s 200 million population lacking access to power and this is according to the Energy Progress Report 2022 released by Tracking SDG 7, has revealed.

The report, produced in conjunction with the International Energy Agency, International Renewable Energy Agency, United Nations Statistics Division, the World Bank and the World Health Organisation, indicated that Nigeria was followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 72 million, Ethiopia’s 56 million and Pakistan’s 54 million access deficits.

HOUSING

The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, has completed or is completing housing projects in 34 States of Nigeria, under the National Housing Programme, with the support of the State Governors who provided the land.

So far more than 5,000 houses are at various stages of completion, and thousands more are planned.

The Family Homes Fund Limited (FHFL), incorporated by the Federal Government of Nigeria in September 2016, is the implementing agency for the Buhari Administration’s National Social Housing scheme.

The Fund has now completed more than 13,000 homes across nine States, with another 20,000 commencing building works in 2022. In the process these housing developments have created more than 64,000 direct and indirect jobs.

But according to a publication by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria’s housing deficit was at 7 million in 1991 and rose to 12 million in 2007, 14 million in 2010, 20 million units in 2019 and according to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, it is currently at 28 million units as at January 2023. This means that 28 million people or more are homeless.

The CBN has estimated an amount of ₦21 trillion will be needed to finance this deficit, and with a growing population of 200 million Nigerians, the current deficit is extremely high.

This is certainly an area to be looked into by the incoming administration.

In all, I give Buhari Administration 60% for infrastructure. This is hoping that as Buhari picked up from Jonathan’s administration, the incoming administration will finish the pending ones and start on new ones.

Gimalo-Angel olowogoke, LN247.