The Federal Government has dismissed suggestions of lopsided development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that his administration has been guided by fairness, justice, and equity in the distribution of projects, appointments, and opportunities across the country.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, fnipr, in a statement on Sunday, said insinuations and “half-truths” being circulated about sectional bias are misleading. He maintained that since taking office, the President has demonstrated uncommon commitment to balanced development and inclusivity across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

According to Idris, no region has been left behind in the rollout of federal projects. He explained that alongside sectoral interventions by ministries, departments, and agencies, all six regions now have their own Regional Development Commissions to accelerate growth. While the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is transforming the South, the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto–Badagry Highway, currently under construction, runs across much of the North. This balance, the minister emphasised, characterises all major infrastructure projects.

Significant investments are underway in transportation, power, and health. In the North, the government has secured ₦150 billion and ₦100 billion respectively for light rail projects in Kano and Kaduna, while Lagos and Ogun are benefiting from metroline expansions. Collectively, the railway projects are expected to generate more than 250,000 jobs nationwide. The administration is also pushing ahead with the rehabilitation of the Eastern rail corridor from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, while in healthcare, over 1,000 primary health centres have been upgraded across the federation.

Data released by the Budget Office shows the North-West leading with ₦5.97 trillion worth of approved projects, representing more than 40 percent of the national total. The South-South follows with ₦2.41 trillion, while the North-Central has ₦1.13 trillion. The South-East has ₦407 billion, the North-East ₦400 billion, and the South-West (excluding Lagos) ₦604 billion. Idris said this distribution clearly reflects the administration’s commitment to fairness.

Among the legacy road projects of the administration is the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, which stretches 750 kilometres, with 175 kilometres already under construction across Lagos, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States. The Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway spans 1,068 kilometres, with 378 kilometres under construction in Sokoto and Kebbi. The Trans-Sahara Highway covers 465 kilometres, including an ongoing 118-kilometre section in Ebonyi State. The Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Road, covering 439 kilometres, is being redesigned from flexible to rigid pavement for durability. Out of the total length of these legacy projects, the North accounts for 52 percent while the South accounts for 48 percent, underscoring the balanced distribution.

Other major works in the North include the dualisation of the 275-kilometre Sokoto–Gusau–Funtua–Zaria Road valued at ₦824 billion, the 350-kilometre Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Road valued at ₦764 billion, the 256-kilometre BUA Tax Credit Road across Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano, the 156-kilometre Zaria–Hunkuyi Road, the 49-kilometre Kano Northern Bypass, the 100.9-kilometre Kano–Maiduguri Road, as well as the Bama and Dikwa Roads in Borno, the 110-kilometre Damaturu–Maiduguri Road, the 76-kilometre Malando Road in Kebbi, the 250-kilometre Benue–9th Mile Road valued at $958 million, the 86-kilometre Lokoja–Okene dualisation, and the Kaduna–Katsina Roads costing ₦150 billion.

In the South, the government is undertaking the 8.5-kilometre Lagos–Ibadan Road valued at ₦33 billion, the dualisation of the Lagos–Sagamu Road, the Oyo–Ogbomoso–Ilorin Road valued at ₦146 billion, and the rehabilitation of Carter, Third Mainland, and Eko Bridges in Lagos costing ₦120 billion. The South-East is benefiting from the 107-kilometre Enugu–Onitsha Road valued at ₦202 billion through the MTN Tax Credit Scheme, another 72-kilometre section of the same road costing ₦150 billion through the CBC, the 36-kilometre Enugu–Abakaliki Road, the 17.5-kilometre dualised access road to the 2nd Niger Bridge valued at ₦175 billion, and the 61-kilometre dualised Lokpanta–Enugu Road valued at ₦100 billion.

In the South-South, projects include the 30-kilometre Eleme–Onne Road valued at ₦156 billion, the 9.7-kilometre dualised Eket Bypass at ₦76 billion, Section 2 of the East–West Road at ₦186 billion, the Nembe–Brass Road at ₦150 billion, the Lokoja–Benin dualisation at ₦167 billion, the 17-kilometre dualised access road to the 2nd Niger Bridge in Delta valued at ₦146 billion, and the 35-kilometre Bodo–Bonny Road in Rivers, which includes 12 bridges and is valued at ₦200 billion.

Beyond roads and rail, Idris highlighted progress in the power and energy sector. The 255MW Kaduna Power Plant has been revived, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline has advanced, and oil and gas exploration has expanded in the North with three new wells drilled in the Kolmani region of Bauchi and Gombe. The Kano–Maradi rail line, inherited at just five percent completion, has now reached 67 percent due to fresh funding support.

The Minister further stressed that equity is also evident in federal appointments, with President Tinubu consistently appointing capable Nigerians from every part of the country, guided by competence and inclusivity rather than sectional considerations. He noted that the establishment of five new Regional Development Commissions and the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development illustrate the administration’s determination to address Nigeria’s unique developmental needs in a way that benefits all sections of the country.

“On the whole, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not only kept faith with Nigerians but has proven himself to be a fair, pragmatic, and consequential reformer,” Idris said. “His leadership is inclusive, his vision is unifying, and his commitment to equity and justice is unwavering. Nigerians can rest assured that under his watch, no part of this country will be left behind.”

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