FG, Benue to expand Makurdi flyover to dual carriageway

The federal and Benue state governments are planning to expand the Wurukum Flyover in Makurdi to a dual carriageway on both sides of the bridge to improve traffic flow around the busy roundabout.

Mukaila Danladi, the Federal Controller of Works in Benue, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Makurdi.

Mr Danladi said the proposed expansion followed a request by Governor Hyacinth Alia to increase the bridge’s capacity and ease vehicular movement.

He said the request had necessitated a review of some components of the ongoing project, adding that the revised design would be implemented after approval.

According to him, the flyover was initially designed with a total width of 11 metres, comprising two carriageways of 3.65 metres each, a 0.7-metre walkway and a 0.4-metre median.

The proposed design would increase the carriageway width to 10.3 metres on each side, with a one-metre median.

Mr Danladi said the expansion would provide additional road space and improve traffic movement around the Wurukum Roundabout.

He acknowledged that construction had affected traffic in the area and urged motorists and residents to exercise patience.

“Immediately the review is approved, we would want to introduce some diversions around that location,” he said.

He added that some earlier diversions had been removed to ease movement, but further diversions might be introduced when work on the expansion began.

The controller said the project had reached 69.87 per cent completion. He added that the flyover was incorporated into the original road contract at the request of the Benue State Government.

He said the proposed changes had slowed work on some components affected by the design review.

Mr Danladi expressed optimism that construction would progress faster as the rainy season waned.

Background

The federal government officially flagged off construction of the Wurukum Flyover on 15 September 2025 as part of the second phase of the Makurdi–9th Mile Road dualisation project.

At the flag-off ceremony in Makurdi, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, described the flyover as a gift to Benue State from President Bola Tinubu.

Mr Umahi said the broader road project was expected to improve transportation and stimulate economic activity across Benue, Enugu and other parts of the region.

Governor Alia, who flagged off the project on behalf of the president, said the road would improve the movement of agricultural produce and strengthen connections between Nigeria’s North-east, South-east and South-south regions.

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The project’s lead consultant, Adam Onundi, said the Makurdi–9th Mile dualisation was divided into five sections covering about 250.6 kilometres, in addition to the 15.8-kilometre Lafia Bypass.

The Wurukum Flyover forms part of the first section of the Makurdi–9th Mile stretch.

Makurdi–Enugu road project

Providing an update on the wider road project, Mr Danladi said construction was progressing satisfactorily along the Makurdi–Otukpo–Ninth Mile–Enugu Road.

He said work had reached the layer preceding asphalt surfacing on about 150 kilometres of the approximately 250-kilometre road, while the final asphalt surface had been completed on about 87 kilometres.

The controller urged motorists and other road users to obey traffic instructions and cooperate with construction teams working along the routes.

The proposed flyover expansion is expected to provide additional capacity at the Wurukum Roundabout, although the revised design remains subject to approval.