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Bauchi secures US$91.6m EBID loan Facility for 24 roads, bridge projects
By Sule Aliyu Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has secured a US$91.6 million infrastructure financing agreement with the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) to fund the construction and rehabilitation of strategic roads and bridges across the state.
Governor Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad announced the development while speaking to journalists on his return from Lomé, Togo, where he led a high-powered state delegation to the headquarters of EBID for the formal signing of the Bauchi State Transport Infrastructure Financing Programme.
The governor said the facility was secured after 18 months of negotiations and is backed by a Federal Government guarantee. He disclosed that the financing has already been captured in the 2026 budget and expressed confidence that the funds would be accessed in August. He also assured residents that all ongoing road projects would be completed before the end of his administration.
The Governor was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Aminu Hammayo; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Hassan El-Yakub; the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Sadiq Hamisu Shira; alongside other senior government officials.
The landmark financing agreement, signed between the Government of Bauchi State and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, will fund the construction and rehabilitation of 24 strategic roads and bridges across urban centres, rural communities, and inter-zonal corridors, significantly improving connectivity throughout the state.
The project is expected to stimulate economic growth by creating employment opportunities, reducing transportation costs, enhancing access to markets, and strengthening agricultural and commercial supply chains.
It also aligns with the Bauchi State Government’s broader vision of leveraging infrastructure as a catalyst for sustainable development and economic transformation.
In his opening remarks, the President of EBID Dr. George Agyekum Donkor emphasized that countries which have achieved sustainable industrialization did so through sustained investment in infrastructure.
He noted that efficient road networks are essential for businesses to thrive and observed that while Nigeria has made notable progress in expanding its non-oil economy, sustaining that momentum depends largely on continued infrastructure development.
He described the Bauchi State Transport Infrastructure Programme as a strategically significant investment, noting that Bauchi is one of Nigeria’s largest states with enormous agricultural potential that cannot be fully harnessed without an efficient transportation network.
He further commended Governor Bala Mohammed for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to infrastructure-driven development.
While responding, Bala Muhammad expressed profound appreciation to the President, Management, and staff of EBID for the confidence reposed in the Bauchi State Government.
He assured the bank that the funds would be judiciously utilized and managed with the highest level of transparency and accountability to ensure the successful delivery of the road projects and the realization of their intended socio-economic benefits for the people of Bauchi State.
According to him, the deal fell through after Eighteen months of negotiations and explained that the facility, which has already been captured in the 2026 budget, is expected to be accessed in August, 2026.
He expressed confidence that all ongoing road projects will be completed before the expiration of his administration.
Muhammad said that additional road projects covered by the financing include the Mararraban Liman Katagum-Bununu, Soro-Miya, Gumau-Kaduna border and Bara-Wanka roads in Kirfi Local Government Area.
The Governor also pledged to resume stalled urban renewal projects, including roads within the Government Reserved Area and bridges across Bauchi metropolis, noting that the projects now have full financial backing.
According to him, the investments will reduce travel time, improve access to agricultural communities, address infrastructure deficits and strengthen Bauchi State’s position as a growing hub for economic development and connectivity.
The signing of the financing agreement and related project documents by representatives of the Bauchi State Government and EBID marks a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to modernise its transport infrastructure and accelerate sustainable economic development.
