The Federal Government has formally commenced the dualisation of the 56.5- kilometre Ibadan–Ijebu Ode Road, promising a durable transformation of one of the most important economic corridors linking Oyo and Ogun states.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Ibadan on August 24, Minister of Works Senator David Umahi declared that the project marked “the end of an era of temporary fixes” on the strategic route.
He said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was committed to building infrastructure capable of serving future generations.
“This is not just about laying asphalt or concrete; it is a deliberate economic intervention,” Umahi said, describing the road as a vital link across the Lagos–Ogun–Oyo axis.
According to him, the dualisation will reduce travel times, improve road safety, strengthen security and unlock the region’s agricultural and commercial potential.
The project, approved by the Federal Executive Council and awarded to JRB Construction Limited, is expected to ease the movement of farmers, traders, commuters and businesses that rely on the corridor.
Umahi praised the indigenous contractor, pointing to the scale of ongoing earthworks along the route.
Representing President Tinubu, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun described the project as more than a construction milestone, calling it an economic connection between two neighbouring states.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, also welcomed the intervention, recalling the hardship faced by farmers and traders who have endured the road’s deteriorated condition for years.
The minister said the Federal Government’s road intervention would not stop in Ibadan.
He announced plans to visit the troubled Benin–Agbor–Asaba Road, where officials will engage the concessionaire, independent engineer, legal representatives and the Edo State Government to resolve the difficulties confronting road users.
He also disclosed that the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, would inspect the Ifaki–Kabba Road linking Ekiti and Kogi states.
The route is being redesigned after President Tinubu reportedly directed that urgent attention be given to its poor condition.
As the ceremony ended with the official ground-breaking, the government’s message was clear: the Ibadan–Ijebu Ode corridor is being positioned not merely as a rebuilt road, but as a foundation for faster travel, safer communities and stronger regional growth.
