The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has given a clear explanation for the termination of the long-delayed Apo–Karshi Road contract, describing the move as a necessary step after years of stalled work and public frustration. He confirmed that the project has now been handed to SCC Nigeria Limited, which has already returned to site to resume full construction on the 13-kilometre stretch.
During an inspection visit on Monday, Wike said the decision reflects President Bola Tinubu’s resolve to push long-abandoned infrastructure projects to completion and ease the daily strain faced by residents of the Karshi corridor. He stressed that the previous contractor, Messrs Kakatar Engineering Limited, was disengaged after failing to meet commitments despite repeated opportunities to deliver. The road was first awarded in 2011 under former FCT Minister Bala Mohammed at a cost of N6.4 billion and a planned completion timeline of 20 months. Fourteen years later, the critical link still remains unfinished.
Wike explained that upon assuming office in 2023, he held several meetings with the contractor, who assured the administration that the road would be completed within six months. That promise, he said, was broken without any meaningful progress, leaving the ministry with no option but to withdraw the job and assign it on an emergency basis to a firm with a stronger track record. He noted that beginning a new procurement cycle would have taken months and risked another rainy season delay, which the administration wanted to avoid given the impact on commuters, businesses and adjoining communities.
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Asked about the possibility of recovering funds previously paid to the former contractor, Wike said the legal secretariat would review the matter and advise on next steps. He emphasised that his priority is to ensure the work moves forward rather than dwell on past setbacks, especially on a road that should have been completed many years earlier.
The minister also inspected ongoing earthworks on the Bwari–Chikakore–Kubwa Road, another major project being executed by SCC Nigeria Limited. In Kubwa, he stopped at the Bazango dual carriageway site, which was recently awarded under emergency provisions to speed up construction and address growing traffic pressure in the area.
Wike’s visits form part of a broader review of key infrastructure projects across the FCT, with the administration pushing for faster timelines, stronger contractor oversight and improved delivery standards. The renewed activity around the Apo–Karshi corridor has already drawn public attention, and officials believe the fresh momentum could finally bring an end to the long delays that have defined the project for more than a decade.
