The “final inspections” occurring this week are the last hurdle before the South-East and South-South regions see a major shift in their transport landscape. With the President’s visit confirmed for May 12, 2026, the Ministry of Works is in a high-pressure sprint to transition these sites from active construction zones to commissioned highways.
​This 43km stretch is the “missing link” that has historically throttled trade between the commercial hub of Aba and the oil-rich Port Harcourt. As of this week’s inspection, the Aba-bound carriageway is approximately 95% complete. Contractors (CCECC) have been focused on finishing the final asphalt layers and installing safety features.
Interestingly, while one side uses traditional asphalt, the Port Harcourt-bound lane is being constructed with full reinforced concrete pavement. The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has touted this as a 50-year solution to the region’s high water table issues.
​This section is perhaps the most economically vital 15km in the country, serving the Onne Port and the Port Harcourt Refinery. The “Flyover” Sprint is a major focus of this week’s inspection is the progress of the five flyovers along this corridor. While the Onne Flyover is on track for the May 12 commissioning, some peripheral work on the other bridges is expected to continue through the year.
One carriageway is fully ready for the President’s motorcade, while work continues on the second to meet the revised full-completion target of December 2026.
The Ministry is checking the “sand-filling and reinforcement” depths, which were increased to prevent the road from sinking, a problem that plagued previous attempts to fix this route.
While the Minister assured that Sukuk funding and the 2026 budget would cover costs, some indigenous sub-contractors are still pushing for final payment certificates to be cleared before the ribbon-cutting.
For residents, this isn’t just about a presidential visit; it’s about the end of a decade-long nightmare. The completion of the Aba-bound lane alone is expected to cut travel time between the two cities from three hours (on a bad day) to under 45 minutes.
