The Garaku Toll Station in Nasarawa State is now using a new tolling system implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Drivers using the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Makurdi Highway now have to pay tolls, which range from ₦500 for small automobiles to ₦1,600 for cars with more than one axle.
Minister of Works David Umahi announced yesterday that the money raised from the tolling system would be used to maintain federal highways throughout the nation during its formal debut.
The 227.2 kilometer road project was financed by a $460.8 million loan from China Eximbank, as was previously mentioned.
Bello Muhammad Goronyo, the Minister of State’s representative for Works, explained that the federal government used a China Exim Bank Preferential Credit Loan to undertake the road’s restoration and improvement.
On behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, I stand before you today with immense joy and hope as we formally begin toll operations on our federal roads, starting with the 227.2-kilometer Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Road Corridor.
The Road Corridor is an important piece of infrastructure in Nigeria, as you are aware, and it serves as a crucial highway for the social and economic life of the country’s central and northern areas.
For Nigeria’s strategic, social, and economic advancement, the Road Corridor is essential. In addition to building infrastructure, urbanizing the country, and fostering national cohesion, it is a vital conduit for trade, mobility, and national security.
The road was restored and improved by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) with the help of a China Exim Bank preferential credit loan.
The tolling system is a crucial step in achieving a more effective, sustainable, and well-maintained road transportation system in the nation, he said.
In order to protect our infrastructure for the benefit of both the current and future generations, we are setting out on a mission today.
He claimed that the toll collection will provide much-needed funding for road development and upkeep.
Additionally, he said, “It is imperative to note that the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Federal Highway Toll Order/Fee Schedule has been gazetted as follows: Saloon cars would cost ₦500, SUVs and jeeps ₦800, minibuses ₦1000, and vehicles with multiple axles ₦1,600.
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“Common road users, such as commercial light vehicles as defined by the Federal Highway Act, would benefit from a 50% discount, though.”
Emmanuel Akabe, the deputy of Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, was present at the occasion to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the successful completion of the road project.
He also called on Nigerians to work together to make sure the initiative was successful.
Police, military vehicles, and some vital service vehicles are exempt from paying tolls before they can use the route.
Under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s direction, the road’s construction reportedly started in 2018 and was completed shortly before his resignation in 2023.
