Experts demand bid process, EIA of proposed Lagos-Abuja super highway/high-speed train project

Just as the Federal government is set to commence Lagos-Abuja Super Highway/ High-speed Train Station Project tentatively by February, 2025, some built environment experts are already demanding for the advert, bid process and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the project.

They expressed their surprises about the project, saying that how could contract of such a huge project would be awarded without following the bidding process.

Meanwhile, a report had it that the Director of Operations of AEC-Geofocus, consortium of engineers, planners, and investors, handling the project, Mutiu Yinka Idris, an engineer, disclosed in Ibadan last week that the project would cost $16 billion.

Idris further revealed that the transformative project which would have 500 kilometers, will connect Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Kogi, Niger and FTC, Abuja.

According to him, it would also have a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Maintained (DBFOM) model.

“The $16 billion project will be led by AEC-Geofocus, a consortium of engineers, planners, and investors and plans have been concluded to commence it by February this year 2024,” he said.
He disclosed that the components of the high-speed train project, will have a double-gauge rail line capable of speeds of up to 250 km/hr, with two main stations in Lagos and Abuja as well as 11 intermediate stops.

This, he, pointed out, would make Lagos-Abuja travel by rail less than 3 hours, and by road to less than 5 hours.

He added, “the highway will have 8 lanes, 2 service lanes, and 13 tolling points. Captured within the scope of the project are 10 smart cities, 1 million housing units, and an Independent Power Plant.”
Idris believes that the project is another game-changer loading, and part of efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to improve the transportation system in Nigeria.

In a reaction, one of the experts on the social platform of HDAN, who identified himself simply as “Egr Dr. Katchy” said: “How can it be true. How can such a project start overnight, no advert, no EIA no nothing.”
Another expert, Oladokun Abiola,raised a posser; “Was there an EIA or advert for the coaster road to Calabar?

“This is the Tinubu era. Expect many more like this, and the earlier we get used to this, the earlier we have our peace as long as his tenure lasts!”

Another expert, Mr Femi Oyedele explained that the new project is a Public-Finance Initiative (PFI) called Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Maintain (DBFOM) model of public infrastructure finance.
“My fear is the initiator and promoter’s antecedents and experience to deliver within scheduled time.

Chief Kenny Martins was the National Coordinator of Police Equipment Fund (PEF) during President Obasanjo’s regime. Thirteen tolling points on a 500 kilometre road may be too much.”

“Two smart cities along the road with 1,000,000 houses may be ambitious. The duration of the project was not stated and this is essential in PFIs. I wish the development partners best of luck,” he said.

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