Nasarawa State to Introduce Tolls on New 65km Road Linking Lafia and Keffi

The Nasarawa State Government has announced its decision to introduce toll charges on the soon-to-be-completed 65-kilometre Kwandere-Garaku Road, a major infrastructure project expected to dramatically improve travel between Lafia and Keffi. This road will also serve as a key alternative route to Abuja, helping to decongest the frequently jammed Lafia–Akwanga–Keffi corridor.

Speaking during a ministerial press briefing in Lafia, the state’s Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Mu’azu Gosho, explained that the decision to toll the road is based on the need for sustainable maintenance. As the road is projected to handle a large volume of vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks, the state believes implementing tolls will provide a reliable funding source for its upkeep and durability.

According to Gosho, the Kwandere-Garaku Road, which was inherited from the previous administration, is now a top priority under Governor Abdullahi Sule’s leadership. He noted that once completed, the road will reduce the travel distance between Lafia and Keffi by more than 30 kilometres, significantly easing traffic congestion and cutting travel time to the Federal Capital Territory.

“This road is part of our broader plan to ease movement for both residents and businesses. By reducing the journey to Abuja by such a significant margin, we expect it to become one of the busiest routes in the state. To ensure the road remains in good condition, we plan to introduce tolls. It’s the most effective way to fund routine maintenance and prevent the road from deteriorating under heavy usage,” Gosho said.

He added that the funding for the road construction is coming from a refund of over ₦9 billion the state received from the Federal Government. The refund followed the federal takeover of the Lafia Cargo Airport, a project initially developed by the state government. With these funds, the current administration has been able to pick up and push forward infrastructure projects started by its predecessor.

The Kwandere-Garaku route is expected to provide immense relief to commuters and transporters alike. For commercial drivers, especially those ferrying goods between Nasarawa and Abuja or further into the northern regions, the new route presents a shorter, faster, and likely more fuel-efficient option. Private motorists, too, stand to benefit from the improved road network, especially during peak hours or festive seasons when the Lafia-Akwanga-Keffi stretch often becomes gridlocked.

Beyond the tolling initiative on this key road, Commissioner Gosho revealed that the state government is also working on expanding rural road networks. These rural roads will help open up farming communities, making it easier for farmers to transport produce to urban markets and boosting the local agricultural economy.

“We are looking at the bigger picture. By building more rural access roads, we aim to empower our farmers and rural entrepreneurs. When produce can get to market faster and in better condition, everyone benefits — from the producer to the final consumer. It’s not just about roads; it’s about creating a better economic future for Nasarawa,” he said.

The idea of tolling roads isn’t new in Nigeria, but it has been gaining fresh momentum in recent years. Both the federal and state governments are increasingly turning to tolling as a means of ensuring long-term infrastructure sustainability and reducing dependency on federal budget allocations.

Under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, tolling has become a central part of the national infrastructure strategy. In February 2025, the federal government began tolling the 227.2-kilometre Abuja–Akwanga–Lafia–Makurdi Road. The tolls on that road are part of a plan to repay a $460.8 million loan from the China Exim Bank, which funded its construction.

Other major projects are expected to follow suit. These include the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and the massive Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway. Both projects are at advanced stages, and tolling is expected to begin as soon as they are completed and opened for public use.

Additionally, the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) is creating frameworks for public-private partnerships that allow private companies to manage and maintain roads through concession agreements. These partnerships typically involve the right to collect tolls over a period of time in exchange for investment in road infrastructure.

State governments are not left behind. Ogun State, for instance, began tolling the 14.7-kilometre Epe–Mojoda–Ijebu-Ode Expressway in March 2025. The tolls are aimed at funding road operations and ensuring continuous maintenance without waiting on erratic government funding cycles.

With Nasarawa now joining the ranks of states using tolling as a sustainability measure, it’s clear that the trend is catching on. For many experts, this is a necessary step in a country where roads are often neglected due to lack of funds. Tolling, they argue, creates a more predictable and consistent revenue stream that can keep vital roads in good shape for the long haul.

However, some road users remain cautious about this development. The main concern lies in whether the tolls collected will be transparently managed and used exclusively for road maintenance. In the past, some toll revenues have been mired in controversy due to mismanagement or lack of clarity on how funds were spent.

To address this, advocates are urging the Nasarawa State Government to publish clear frameworks on toll collection, management, and usage. Public trust, they say, will be key to ensuring compliance and public support for the new policy.

As work on the Kwandere-Garaku Road progresses, residents of Nasarawa and frequent travelers between Lafia, Keffi, and Abuja are keeping a close eye. For them, this road represents not just shorter travel time, but a possible transformation of trade, logistics, and access to opportunities.