Billions Wasted: The Federal Road Projects Abandoned in Adamawa

For thousands of motorists in Adamawa State, travelling across major federal highways has become an exhausting and sometimes dangerous journey. Roads that were supposed to be completed years ago remain unfinished, leaving residents questioning how billions of naira allocated for infrastructure simply vanished into stalled projects.

Across the state, several strategic federal roads awarded more than a decade ago remain either abandoned or progressing at an extremely slow pace. Investigations show that most of the contracts were awarded between 2013 and 2017 with completion periods of two to three years, yet in 2026, many of them remain incomplete.

Among the most prominent is the Yola–Girei–Song–Gombi–Hong–Mubi highway, one of the most critical federal corridors in northeastern Nigeria. The road links the Adamawa capital to northern commercial hubs such as Mubi and also connects to neighbouring Borno State.
The project was awarded in 2017 to AG Vision Construction Nigeria Ltd at an initial cost estimated at about ₦22 billion, later revised upwards to nearly ₦29 billion. Nearly a decade later, large portions of the highway remain in poor condition, forcing motorists to weave through potholes and eroded sections.

A commercial driver who frequently travels between Yola and Mubi described the road as a nightmare.
“This road is killing our vehicles and sometimes our people. The contract was awarded many years ago, but nothing meaningful has changed. We keep hearing billions have been released, yet the road remains the same,” he said.
Another controversial project is the Mubi–Maiha–Sarau road, awarded in 2013 to De-Pacific Investment Limited for approximately ₦2.99 billion.

The road was expected to be completed by 2015 but has suffered years of neglect.

Residents say the road is critical for farmers transporting produce from rural communities to markets in Mubi, one of the largest commercial centres in the North-East.

“Farmers lose money every year because trucks cannot reach our villages easily,” said a community leader in Maiha.
“This road could transform the economy here if it were completed.”

The Mararaba Mubi–Michika–Madagali–Bama corridor, awarded in 2017 to RHAS Nigeria Limited with an estimated contract value of ₦14.7 billion, is another project that has raised concerns. The highway serves communities that were severely affected by insurgency in the North-East and is considered vital for reconstruction and security operations.

Yet progress on the project has remained slow, leaving communities in the area isolated and struggling with transportation challenges.
In southern Adamawa, the Mayo Belwa–Jada–Ganye–Toungo federal road, handled by Triacta Nigeria Limited, has also been plagued by delays.
The route is a major agricultural corridor linking farming communities to markets across the state and into neighbouring Taraba.
A farmer from Ganye lamented the condition of the road.

“During the rainy season, it becomes almost impossible to move goods. We depend on this road, but it has been abandoned for years.”
Other delayed projects include the Cham–Numan section of the Gombe–Yola highway and the Numan–Jalingo road, both handled by CGC Nigeria Limited. These roads are critical links connecting Adamawa with neighbouring states and facilitating regional trade.
Infrastructure experts say the situation reflects a broader national problem of abandoned public works projects.

According to road engineers familiar with federal highway records, Adamawa State has more than 1,200 kilometres of federal roads, but only a small portion of them can be described as being in good condition.

The political implications of these abandoned projects have also become a subject of debate, especially under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023 with promises to prioritise infrastructure development.

While the current administration has initiated efforts to revive some stalled projects nationwide, residents in Adamawa say they are yet to see significant progress on several long-abandoned highways in the state.

Political analysts say the issue may become a major talking point ahead of future elections in the region.

“Infrastructure is one of the most visible signs of governance,” said a policy analyst in Yola.

“If these roads remain unfinished, it could influence how people in the North-East judge the performance of the federal government.”

Local leaders have also called for stronger oversight of contractors and better monitoring of public funds to ensure that projects awarded in the name of development are actually completed.

For now, however, the roads remain unfinished, silent reminders of billions spent without the promised transformation.
Until meaningful progress is made, many residents say the highways of Adamawa will continue to symbolise not development, but delay.