A member of the House of Representatives, Gboyega Isiaka, has described the ongoing Badagry–Sokoto Superhighway as a transformative infrastructure project capable of unlocking long-stalled economic potential in Nigeria’s border communities and repositioning the South-West as a major gateway for trade and industrial activity.
Isiaka, who represents Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency of Ogun State and chairs the House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, said the expressway’s passage through Owode-Afon in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area marked a significant economic gain for communities that have historically been excluded from national development planning.
The 1,068-kilometre Badagry–Sokoto Superhighway stretches from Illela in Sokoto State to Badagry in Lagos, cutting across seven states and linking the North-West with the South-West. According to Isiaka, the project is designed to serve as a strategic economic spine, connecting coastal trade in Badagry with the vast agricultural and commercial belts of northern Nigeria.
Commending President Bola Tinubu’s administration for initiating the project, the lawmaker said the scale and intent of the superhighway reflected a deliberate policy choice to deploy infrastructure as a catalyst for growth, production and regional integration.
Speaking on the sidelines of the formal reception of former Peoples Democratic Party leaders, including Lisa Adejobi and Mujjidat Balogun, into the All Progressives Congress in Imeko-Afon on Friday, Isiaka noted that border towns along the corridor stood to benefit significantly from improved access to markets and trade routes.
“Communities along this axis have lived at the margins of opportunity for years. This project brings us into the centre of national economic thinking,” he said, adding that the road would lower transport costs, strengthen food supply chains and create opportunities for agro-processing, logistics and light manufacturing.
Isiaka further explained that the road’s linkage from Owode in Ogun State through Badagry in Lagos and onward to sub-Saharan trade routes would enhance Nigeria’s participation in regional commerce under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Describing the superhighway as more than just a transport project, the lawmaker said it should be viewed as a planning and development instrument capable of reshaping settlement patterns, investment decisions and industrial clusters.
“When you connect production zones to ports and borders efficiently, you stimulate growth that is broad-based and durable,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the Badagry–Sokoto Superhighway would redefine the economic landscape of border communities while strengthening Nigeria’s position as a regional trade hub.