In a couple of weeks, a good number of Nigerians will be going to their ancestral home to spend the yuletide season with their families. As usual, majority will be going by road owing to the astronomical cost of flight tickets.

Unfortunately, the deplorable condition of the inter-state roads will deny them a smooth and pleasurable ride. The Guardian investigations showed that around the country, it’s the same sad story, as inter-state roads have become death traps, dotted with potholes and craters. Aside from the loss of man-hour and accelerated wear and tear on vehicles, bad roads across the country are one of the factors responsible for high number of road crashes, which has sent many to their early graves.

According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), between January and September 2025, no fewer than 3,433 people were killed in road crashes across the country. During the same period, 22,162 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a total of 6,858 reported crashes.

According to public commentators and analysts, the provision of good roads is a core government responsibility, because roads are a public good that provide essential economic and social benefits, which the private sector alone cannot adequately or equitably provide.

This current state of the road and governments’ indifference in fixing them is generating growing concerns across the country, especially at this time when the allocation from the Federal Government to these states have tripled since this administration came on board.

Just a few days ago, the Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu revealed that between 2023 and 2024, allocations to states rose by 62 per cent, while local councils received 47 per cent more, declaring that “no state governor or local council chairman can complain of lack of funds.”

Despite these increased allocations, reports across the states have left many Nigerians in awe as to how the level of roads dilapidation, neglect and governments indifference has exposed many Nigerians to danger and economic losses.

OSUN

IN Osun State, the Osogbo-Iwo/Oyo road; Kwara boundary roads and Ilesa-Ibadan roads have become death traps, causing pain and agony to road users daily. Also, the Iree/Otan/Ila/Ora to Kwara state boundaries, according to The Guardian checks not passable for vehicles, just as the Ifon to Oyo boundaries are eyesores.

A visit to the Osogbo-Iwo-Oyo roads showed that potholes had riddled the entire axis, forcing many motorists to abandon the road.

Motorists and other road users, who are lamenting the poor conditions of some of these inter-state roads, are calling for immediate intervention from the state government to make the roads motorable.

One of the motorists, Sola Akande, said the road has been discouraging them from traveling at night because of fear of being kidnapped.

“Our major headaches as commercial transporters have to do with the Ilesa-Ibadan road and Osogbo-Iwo-Oyo road. We no longer load in the evening at our parks because no passenger wants to travel by night on these roads.

“We are all afraid that kidnappers may even take advantage of the poor roads to abduct people,” he said.

Although, Ilesa-Ibadan road is a Federal road, stakeholders, have, however, called on the Osun State government to fix the road for the sake of travellers.

A commuter at the Ibadan park – Old Garage Area of Osogbo, who simply identified himself as Deji, told The Guardian that each time he wants to travel to the Oyo State capital, he is always afraid.

“Everyone can see these roads are bad. If what I going to do in Ibadan is not very important, I won’t go. The roads are in terrible shape, especially from Ibadan down to Ikire and after Gbongan. Even if this is a federal road, I think Osun State government can take it up and fix these roads, then later collect the money, it will save us from frequent accidents that are recorded on these roads,” the passenger said.

In Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke, doubles as the Commissioner for Works. He has embarked on several road and other infrastructural projects across the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, could not be reached for comments, as calls put across to him were not answered as at the time of filing this report.

DELTA

AS the yuletide approaches, residents and transporters across Delta State are raising their voices against the deplorable condition of several interconnecting roads — a crisis many of them described as a “nightmare that threatens lives, vehicles, and livelihoods.”

In Asaba, the state capital, what used to be a network of busy but motorable roads has now turned into a labyrinth of potholes and broken asphalts.

The once-proud Dennis Osadebay Road, one of the earliest roads constructed before the major Asaba-Onitsha highway, has completely collapsed. With the failed sections of the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway forcing motorists to divert into town, the situation has worsened dramatically.

“All the vehicles now pass through the inner city because the expressway is bad. Government is not showing concern,” lamented Bridget Okereke, a resident of the area.

Okereke described the situation as unbearable, noting that temporary repairs carried out in recent months have proven futile. “Caterpillars poured stones on the road, but after one rainfall, everything washed away,” she said, urging Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to seize the dry season to rehabilitate failed portions before the Christmas rush.

According to her, the transport fare from Asaba to Onitsha — which used to cost N500 — has now doubled to N1, 000, straining residents already battling inflation and high fuel prices.

For drivers like Vincent Nnadi, who plies the Asaba-Onitsha route daily, the nightmare is both physical and financial.

“A journey of 10 to 15 minutes now takes hours because of the bad road,” Nnadi said, wiping sweat from his brow near the Ogbeogonogo Market. “After struggling on the expressway, we enter town and still suffer again. We buy more petrol, repair our vehicles almost daily, and at the end of it, there’s nothing left to take home.”

The situation, he added, has worsened over the last two years with no visible sign of lasting government intervention.

Another commuter, James Obi, echoed the frustrations of many. “The poor roads have crippled businesses,” Obi said. “When it rains, you can’t access the road at all. Both the Federal and State Governments have abandoned us. Go to Asaba-Onitsha expressway and you’ll see; come into town — same story.”

With the festive season approaching, residents fear a total gridlock if urgent steps are not taken. The Dennis Osadebay Road, stretching from Abraka to the Ogbeogonogo Market, has been described as nearly impassable — riddled with gullies and stagnant pools that force motorists to drive against traffic or abandon routes altogether.

Sadly, the situation extends far beyond Asaba. Across Aniocha North Council, several critical roads have reportedly collapsed or abandoned for years. Among them are Ezi–Ogodo Road – described as “impassable and long abandoned.” Issele-Uku–Onicha-Ugbo–Idumuje-Uboko/Idumuje-Unor axis – “completely dilapidated.”

Ugbodu–Idumuje-Unor Road – “gone off.” Issele-Azagba–Otulu Road – “terrible and difficult to describe.” Obomkpa–Ubulubu Road – “nearly impossible to use.” Obior–Ubulu-Uku Road – “critically deteriorated.”

Issele-Uku–Onicha-Uku Road – “totally gone.” Idumogo–Ukwu Nzu Road – “in urgent need of reconstruction.”

In many of these communities, residents say they have been cut off from neighboring towns, making transportation of farm produce and goods nearly impossible. Some roads that used to support inter-community trade now lie abandoned, overgrown with weeds.

Despite the growing outcry, the Delta State government insists it is not turning a blind eye. The Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, maintained that the administration of Governor Oborevwori is determined to tackle the problem.

During an inspection tour of ongoing road works from Effurun Roundabout through Mercy Land to Ohore Junction, Izeze assured that the government is taking concrete steps to ease traffic flow and provide temporary relief.

“We understand the pains of our people,” he said. “The administration is working to fix most of the roads and make them motorable. It is a matter of time.”

However, many residents argue that ‘time’ has already run out. With Christmas around the corner and road conditions deteriorating further, patience is wearing thin.

The poor state of roads may have forced Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to describe the state of roads in the Niger Delta region as a nightmare, saying motorists go through hell navigating the roads.

Only recently, the Federal Government and the Delta State government flagged off the reconstruction of failed sections of the dilapidated Warri-Benin highway.

The highway has been in a deplorable state for years forcing motorists to take alternative routes or risk getting stuck in water-filled, muddy collapsed sections of the road.

Motorists avoid the strategic road like a scourge, due to the scale of damage, and pass alternative routes often through tiny village roads that cost time and fuel. It is a common sight on the road to see fallen trucks and sunken vehicles in muddy, deep potholes, with no hope of rescue.

Recall that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had in June revoked the contract for the reconstruction of sections of the Warri-Sapele-Benin highway, and asked the contractor to make refunds, citing delays by the contractor.

Oborevwori, in accepting the poor state of the road, said: “For years, the poor condition of this road has been a nightmare to commuters, farmers, and transporters. Farm produce often got spoilt due to delays, while vehicle owners faced high maintenance costs. This reconstruction is, therefore, strategic and people-centered — aimed at enhancing mobility, improving productivity, and boosting economic growth.

“Beyond these economic benefits, the project will also strengthen security. Criminal elements often exploit bad roads to commit crimes. Once completed, this highway will make movement safer and give security agencies better access to patrol and respond swiftly to incidents.”

Oborevwori disclosed that his government had already approved N35.7b for its reconstruction being a critical artery connecting Delta to Bayelsa, Rivers, and Cross River states.

He canvassed strategic partnership between the NDDC and state governments to rehabilitate critical federal roads across the region.

CROSS RIVER

TRAVELLING within Cross River State is almost an ordeal as major federal highways, especially the Calabar–Itu and Calabar–Ikom–Ogoja roads, continue to deteriorate, leaving commuters stranded and businesses counting losses.

For days, the Calabar–Itu highway has been in total gridlock, with several failed portions cutting off movement between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. Travelers have been forced to sleep inside vehicles, while some abandon their journeys midway.

“I left Akwa Ibom by 9:00am and got to Calabar by 9:00pm. A trip that should take less than two hours now takes 12,” lamented Uwem Isaiah, a commuter who attended a wedding in Uyo.

“At one point, nobody could move. Trucks were stuck, and people came down from their vehicles in frustration.”

Another traveler, Eka Success, who left Calabar for Akwa Ibom penultimate Wednesday, said she spent the night inside a bus on her way back. “We slept on the road. Drivers were angry; passengers were crying. It was hopeless,” she said.

Commercial drivers said the worsening condition has crippled their operations. “We now spend more on fuel and repairs. The road is damaging our vehicles, and we hardly make profit,” said a driver, Akpan. Truck operators complained that goods often perish when vehicles are trapped for days, adding that detours through longer routes have made business unsustainable.

The Calabar–Ikom–Ogoja highway, particularly, the Akamkpa–Biase axis, has also become a nightmare for motorists. Large craters, eroded shoulders and flooded spots have made the stretch almost impassable. “That road is gone,” said a trader who plies the route weekly. “Sometimes, we push our vehicles out of mud for hours.”

Responding to the public outcry, the Federal Controller of Works in Cross River State, Yinka Onafuye, said contractors—Hi-Tech and Sermatec, are handling reconstruction on the Calabar–Itu corridor, but progress has been hampered by funding challenges, compensation issues and prolonged rainfall.

He said emergency works have been approved for critical portions of the Calabar–Ikom–Ogoja road, assuring that contractors have been directed to keep all work zones motorable during the festive season.

Onafuye appealed for patience and urged local councils to dismantle illegal toll points and bumps that worsen traffic.

KANO

FOR commuters plying Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi town in Katsina State, it has been a harrowing experience on the federal high way four years after the road project was abandoned by the Chinese contractor.

The Federal Government on June, 11, 2021 flagged off the construction of the dual carriage way from Kano to Dayi town awarded at the cost of N62.7b to CGC Nigeria Limited.

The highway, which links Kano to Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states and Niger Republic, was intended to boost socio-economic activities across the four states and beyond when completed.

However, the multi-billion naira infrastructure project has been left halfway in the last four years, and now getting worse, causing untold hardship to road users.

The single lane network constructed way back during the military administration of Ibrahim Babangida is fast becoming a death trap with the level of dilapidation from Gwarzo town in Kano to Dayi, Katsina.

Similar experience is being witnessed on Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe, Maiduguri dual carriageway project where commuters lament daily their ugly experiences on some of the abandoned section.

Although, the dualisation of the federal highway from Kano to Jigawa has reached significant level of success, the construction work between Wudil and Gaya corridor of Kano State connecting to Dutse in Jigawa State have been left uncompleted. The few kilometres length are already in bad shape, worsening the agony of road users.

On the busy Kano-Zaria road, commuters are still compelled to navigate through single lane on some portions of the road to enable construction work continue. Although, contractor handling the last section are seen on site, many believed the project is being unnecessarily delayed.

Efforts to get the Federal Controller of Roads, Ministry of Works at the Federal Secretariat, Kano, proved as he was not available as at the time of visit, however, commuters lamented the ugly experiences facing them on the bad roads daily.

ONDO

A network of interstate highways in Ondo State, which ought to serve as socio-economic relief, has degenerated into a nightmare for motorists and travelers, causing daily suffering and also impeding trade, particularly as the yuletide approaches.

Notable among the deplorable roads are the Ikare-Ogbagi-Akoko/Ado-Ekiti, Ipele-Idoani-Isua, as well as the Akure/Ado-Ekiti highways, which have become a constant headache for road users, leaving people stranded and infuriated.

The Ipele-Idoani-Isua road that connects Ondo and Edo states is a shadow of a federal highway that was once a busy route for trade and travel, and now a grueling stretch of potholes and dangerous gullies.

According to commuters and motorists, trips that used to take less than an hour now take four to five hours of grueling driving.

A commercial bus driver, Demola Akinyose, who travels the route, lamented that “this is not a road; it is a punishment. We fix shock absorbers and tyres with short periods with our meager income.

“We and our cars are suffering because the government has totally abandoned the road. Even making trips during the Christmas period will be a tall dream for us.”

Also, by taking advantage of the slow-moving and stranded vehicles, armed robbers and kidnappers have turned the route into a hotspot for criminal activities, with travelers and motorists scared of violent attacks.

On the Ikare-Ogbagi-Akoko/Ado-Ekiti road, a vital link route between Ondo and Ekiti states, the tale is similar with the route, which should make it easier for people to move along the agrarian communities of the highway that has now become nearly impassable.

For some farmers in the axis, their agricultural produce often gets spoilt owing to the refusal of commercial vehicles to ply the route in the bid to move their goods to markets in Ekiti State.

Femi Akinwumi, a local farmer, questioned, “How can we feed the nation when we cannot even get our yams and cassava out of our villages? We feel totally isolated from the rest of the nation.”

Even the dual-carriage Akure/Ado-Ekiti highway’s ongoing reconstruction has become a major source of concern for some residents along the corridor over the slow pace of the project.

The journey between the two state capitals can take up to three hours, and travelers are often stuck for hours at a spot.

A promise of progress has been turned into a current nightmare due to the ineffective traffic control and the seemingly slow pace of work, which have caused many to doubt the project’s planning and timeline.

A senior official at the Ministry of Works, who chose to remain anonymous, told The Guardian that the people’s complaints is noted and will be attended to.

ADAMAWA

ALTHOUGH Adamawa State is one of the oldest states in the Northeast geopolitical zone, but it shares land borders with Borno, Gombe,Taraba, Yobe states and Cameroon. It is easier for a camel to ply than motor vehicles to move from Yola, the state capital to any of the neighboring states.

For instance, the two federal roads from Yola to Taraba State through Mayo-belwa and Numan to Jalingo are living nightmares. To describe the road as death traps for passengers plying these roads is to simplify the agony that commuters face plying that Trunk A road.

Then, going from Yola to Gombe State or Yola to Mubi and Yobe, what stretches out as federal roads could be likened to an old pathway through hell. Motorists recounted to The Guardian the level of pain and suffering they endure trying to access Yola by road.

The Federal Government awarded contracts of the Numan-Jalingo road to a Chinese firm 10 years ago, but till now, one kilometre of the road which is less than 100 kilometers has not been completed. For the Yola-Gombe and Yobe roads, reports have it that the contractors disappeared without completing the project.

The Yola-Mubi road contract was awarded during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, but up till now the project is not completed.

From Yola to Jalingo it used to be a one-hour trip, but now it is four hours journey with high increase in fares due to the poor state of the roads

Adamawa to Taraba State route has been one of the oldest dilapidated roads according to Muhammad Isa, a petroleum tanker driver from Yola, who has been a tanker driver for nine years and has traveled along Adamawa to Taraba route.

He described the nature of the road as challenging and horrible, dusty during dry seasons and muddy during rainy season, with lots of potholes that look like earth dams, causing difficulties while driving along the road.

“The road in a nutshell is bad,” Isa added pleading with the government to come to their aid.

A resident of Tagobali village along Numan to Taraba State road, Francis Markus, who is also a commercial bike rider popularly known as Okada, said the road has been in bad state for long, causing lots of accidents, while armed robbers are taking advantage of the poor state of the road to attack commuters for over 18 years. He also called on the government to take serious action on the road to save lives.

Labran Haruna, a bus driver for about 22 years, said he had traveled to different states around the country; saying compared to years back the government has done a little on the road.

Lafiya Lamurde road connecting Yola to Gombe State is one of the most challenging road elucidated Suleiman Adamu, another Bus driver who has been in the business of driving for about thirty-five years, explained , “many a times when government commences construction on these roads, they later stop making the road worst, causing longer driving hours, the potholes contribute to damaging of vehicles making vehicle maintenance hard for them”.

He further called on the government to wake up to the plight of the commuters and drivers and make the road motorable.

Some passengers around Lafiya road linking the two states expressed their agony in tears, saying the road has retained its dilapidated state for as long as they can remember, noting that it is discouraging to traveling through the road. “There is no joy passing through that road, because the stress is much. Then there are incessant crashes and deaths, which make it nerve-racking to contemplate,” a commuter, Hassan Kure, stated.

They called on the Federal Government to wake up to its constitutional responsibilities of executing projects that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.

The Federal Controller of Works and Energy Development in Adamawa State, Terna Gyado, who stands as the spokesman of the federal ministry of works and energy development in the state told The Guardian that he was in Abuja for official engagement and could not speak on the matter.

NIGER

Majority of the roads in Niger State have become death traps to commuters, as well as causing frequent accident leading to loss of lives and properties.

According to one of the stakeholders, Yahaya Idris, “the road from Jebba-Bida-Agaie-Lapai-Lambata – Dikko junction is bad, he also noted that the road from Mokwa-Makera-Tegina-Birnin Gwari -Kaduna, Minna-Zungeru-Tegina, Bida-Zungeru, and Suleja-Minna roads are also in bad shape.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to, as a matter of utmost importance, come to the aid of people of Niger State by fixing the important roads.

“It is quite surprising that contract for the reconstruction of these roads was awarded by past administrations but was abandoned by the contractors. Aside this, from February 2025 to date, we have recorded unspecified number of road accidents that have claimed many lives due to bad roads,” he added.

Also, a Road Transport Union leader, Idris Yahaya, said bad road is one of the circumstances confronting the transport business in the state, saying the union officials have made several appeal to authorities concerned to fix all the roads but their appeal has not yielded any result.

Garba Mamman is a commercial driver who ply one of the Inter-state road expressed worried that in no distance time,if the federal government didn’t do anything about the bad nature of Inter-state roads across Niger state who is a gate way between North and South, businesses from these side of the country will continue to suffer.

Aminu Bala,a commercial driver also expressed dismayed over the bad nature of inter-state roads, stressing that all his daily earnings are always exhausted on the repairs of his bus. He revealed that the bad road has led to the high charges in transport fare.

In a related development, a coalition of community development associations in Niger South Senatorial District recently wrote President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding an immediate declaration of National Infrastructure and Humanitarian Emergency over the deplorable condition of Inter-state road from Bida–Lapai–Lambata Federal Highway.

The coalition comprising the Bida Forum, Community Association for Grassroots Transformation (CAGRAT), Azza Development Association, Agaie Consultative Forum, and Lapai Emirate Development Foundation, said the road has degenerated from a major national route to a “death corridor” and “a monument to official neglect.”

When The Guardian visited the Niger State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Development, to speak with the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Baba Etsu, he was in a meeting, and all efforts to reach the spokesman of the Ministry for comment didn’t yield result

IMO

The major gateways to and from Imo State are Onitsha – Owerri; Owerri – Okigwe; Owerri – Mbaise – Umuahia; and Owerri – Aba roads.

More than a week ago, the State Executive Council (EXCO), approved the construction and reconstruction of about 40 roads within the 27 local councils in the state.

While the 52-kilometre Owerri – Mbaise- Obowo – Umuahia road was inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu, during his visit to the state on October 31, the Owerri – Okigwe, linking Enugu – Port Harcourt stretch express highway, had been constructed and partly commissioned by the late President Muhammadu Buhari, when he was in power. Any visitor or road user either coming in or out of Imo State, would ply them.

While some areas are accessible, other portions of the above mentioned roads are in dilapidated conditions. Such bad and seemingly impassable areas that are impeding movement, are also likely going to cause nightmares to those going to visit their various homes during the upcoming Yuletide and attendant season.

The affected bad areas are around the bridge, before Awomama, Oru West local council area of the state.

Similarly, there are bad spots around Ngor Opkala (Ngor Okpala local council area and Owerrinta, Isiala Ngwa South local council axis, in Abia State. The contractors handling the areas over the years are working at snail pace. Commuters are consistently complaining over the years.

The above mentioned roads are federal roads. Contractors were seen at the bad portions of the Owerri – Onitsha road.

Speaking during a site inspection, on the state of the roads, the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, said: “This expressway is the lifeline of our state, for too long it has been a barrier to progress. We’re tearing it down and rebuilding it stronger, wider, and smarter to drive prosperity for every Imo family.”

Also, speaking to The Guardian, the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Enlightenment, Prince Eze Ugochukwu, explained the determination of the state government to make the corridors accessible.

In another push to transform Imo State into a bustling hub of commerce and connectivity, Governor Hope Uzodimma is implementing the ambitious reconstruction of the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, extending all the way to the boundary with Anambra State.

“This flagship infrastructure project, part of Uzodimma’s “3R” agenda—Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Recovery—aims to dismantle decades of neglect, slash travel times, and unlock the Southeast’s economic potential by linking Imo’s heartland directly to the commercial powerhouse of Onitsha.

According to Uzodimma, the reconstruction of the road would handle the problem when completed, “The reconstruction, which kicked off in September, targets the 20-plus-kilometer stretch from the bustling Control Post area of Owerri—home to the iconic Assumpta Cathedral and once a notorious traffic bottleneck—to Mgbidi and onward to the Imo-Anambra border.”

The Special Adviser to the governor on Public Enlightenment, said: “Work includes full resurfacing with durable asphalt, expansion of the dual carriageways in key segments, installation of concrete drainages to combat flooding, and modern safety features like reflective signage, pedestrian walkways, and solar-powered lighting.” (The Guardian)

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