Develop rural transport networks to support agricultural production

Nigeria has a relatively dense but largely deteriorated road network due to lack of maintenance. The network includes federal highways (34,000 kilometres), State roads (30,000 kilometres) and rural roads (130,000 kilometres).

The deterioration of the road network deeply hinders economic activity, particularly in the agricultural sector, which contributes up to 40% of the Nigerian GDP and engages more than 50% of the population.

In rural areas, nearly two-thirds of the population (55 million people) live below the poverty line. This situation is mainly due to the inaccessibility of these areas, and to the difficulty of farmers to sell their produce in markets.

States and local governments have the main responsibility of maintaining the rural roads. However, the institutional capacities of the different administrations remain low at State level and local governments lack both the capacity and financial resources.

The Rural Access and Mobility Project II intends to make rural areas more accessible in four States of Nigeria (Adamawa, Enugu, Niger and Osun) and improve transport conditions for their population. 

It has three objectives:

• develop rural transport infrastructure, which includes the rehabilitation of roads and building of bridges and other river-crossings;
• ensure the maintenance of all rehabilitated roads and support States in setting up pilot maintenance projects;
• strengthen the project management capacities of administrations, at Federal and State levels.

An extension of the project to Imo State is expected in 2017 for an additional amount of USD 60 million.

• Rehabilitation and maintenance of 1,450 kilometres of rural roads;
• Construction or rehabilitation of 65 river-crossings;
• Strengthening of Federal and State level administrations;
• Dynamization of the agricultural sector;
• Reduction of poverty in rural areas.