By Headlinenews.news Editorial Team & The National Patriots.
Lafia, Nasarawa State – June 26, 2025 | In a symbolic and strategic state visit that underscores the heart of his “Renewed Hope Agenda,” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Nasarawa State to commission a series of multimillion-naira infrastructural and developmental projects. The presidential presence in the North-Central state not only reinforces the federal government’s commitment to equitable development across regions but also reflects the consolidation of a political and economic legacy shaped by continuity, prudence, and grassroots relevance.
Transforming Lafia: Projects Commissioned
At the heart of the President’s visit were several high-impact projects symbolizing Nasarawa’s steady rise as a gateway between the North and South:
Project Value (₦) Remarks
Lafia Interchange Flyover 16.6 billion Named “Bola Tinubu Underpass,” spans 1km
Ultra-Modern State Secretariat 6.5 billion (est.) First of its kind since state creation in 1996
Shendam Dual Carriageway 4.8 billion 4.5km, connects major economic zones
Agricultural Mechanization Tractors 1.2 billion Distributed across LGAs for food security drive
Security Patrol Vehicles 500 million Supports community policing and rural surveillance
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Units 700 million Boosts green energy use in transport sector
Governor Abdullahi Sule highlighted that most projects were completed without borrowing, drawing praise from the President and setting an example of fiscal discipline in governance.
“These projects were completed without a single kobo borrowed—this is the kind of leadership we want replicated across Nigeria,” – President Tinubu, speaking at the Lafia interchange commissioning.
Historical Context: A State Reaching for the Future
Nasarawa State was carved out of Plateau State in 1996 under the Abacha regime. Often described as the “Home of Solid Minerals,” its abundant resources remained largely underutilized due to infrastructural neglect and poor federal visibility.
Under the Tinubu administration, Nasarawa has emerged as a critical Middle Belt frontier, linking the North with Abuja and the southern states through road, rail, and agricultural value chains. This visit marks the first by a sitting President since 2015, reinforcing its strategic significance.
President Tinubu’s engagements echo Nigeria’s Fourth Republic commitment to decentralize development, especially after decades where federal projects were concentrated in urban and oil-rich regions.
Quotes That Framed the Day
“A country that ignores its regions will stumble at the center. We must build across every line of our federation.” – President Bola Tinubu
“We inherited a dream of development, but under Tinubu, we are now living that dream.” – Governor Abdullahi Sule
“Democracy without infrastructure is democracy without dignity.” – Dr. Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR, Governance Strategist
“Nasarawa is becoming a mini economic corridor. From here, the grain belt of Nigeria feeds Lagos and beyond.” – World Bank Nigeria Representative (2024 Rural Infrastructure Outlook)
Developmental Impact: Why Nasarawa Matters Now
1. Gateway to the FCT: Nasarawa’s proximity to Abuja means infrastructural development here directly decongests the capital and supports Abuja’s food and housing needs.
2. Solid Minerals Potential: Tinubu’s visit rekindles investor interest in Nasarawa’s vast deposits of barite, marble, lithium, and zinc. With increasing global demand for lithium in EV batteries, the state could anchor Nigeria’s critical mineral economy.
3. Agricultural Empowerment: The deployment of mechanized tractors is part of the broader Renewed Hope plan to transition Nigeria from subsistence to agro-industrial productivity—a move that supports President Tinubu’s goal of creating 5 million jobs through agriculture by 2026.
4. Security Support: With growing rural banditry in parts of the Middle Belt, the provision of new patrol vehicles enhances local enforcement and aligns with the President’s vision of state-assisted community policing.
Analysis: Renewed Hope as Real Deliverables
President Tinubu’s leadership has been defined by bold reform—including subsidy removal and forex liberalization. Yet critics often highlight the growing hardship among the populace. This visit, however, shows a “human angle to reform”, providing visible, people-focused deliverables.
By prioritizing debt-free development and practical solutions—like rural infrastructure, transport networks, and agriculture—the administration is demonstrating what former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once termed “reform with results.”
“Infrastructure is the physical proof of governance.” – Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda
Indeed, Tinubu’s strategy reflects a broader shift from high-level policy to on-ground transformation—a necessary pivot in maintaining public trust amid economic transition.
Final Word
Nasarawa’s transformation is a microcosm of what the Renewed Hope Agenda seeks to achieve across Nigeria: fiscal prudence, infrastructural equity, and human-centered development. President Tinubu’s visit today signals not just federal endorsement, but a national message—Nigeria must rise from the grassroots up.
As the President declared before departing Lafia:
“We are not just cutting ribbons. We are cutting paths to a better Nigeria.”
The National Patriots.
Headlinenews.news Special report.
