Senate approves $516m financing for Sokoto–Badagry highway, confirms key appointments

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, CFR, has outlined key takeaways from Tuesday’s plenary, which featured new bills, motions, and confirmations.

Two bills were introduced and passed first reading, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request for $516,333,007 syndicated financing from Deutsche Bank AG for the construction of the Sokoto–Badagry super highway. The Senate later approved the financing after adopting the report of the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

Three motions were also considered and adopted. These included the rescission and recommittal of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology Bill, which was subsequently passed after addressing critical gaps. Other motions focused on the Onitsha building materials market fire in Anambra State, moved by Senator Tony Nwoye, and the renewed attacks in Lamurde LGA of Adamawa State, moved by Senator Binos Yaroe. The Senate directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to provide immediate relief materials to affected traders and displaced communities.

Senator Barau commended President Tinubu’s infrastructure drive, noting that the Sokoto–Badagry super highway will boost agriculture by opening access to land and dams for crop cultivation. He also cited ongoing projects such as the reconstruction of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano highway as evidence of the president’s commitment to national development.

Additionally, the Senate confirmed several appointments, including Lamido Abubakar Yuguda as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Peggy Ufamina Onwu as Independent Director on the board of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and Amina Gamawa (Bauchi State) and Abdullahi Muktar (Kaduna State) as Commissioners in the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission. The confirmations followed presidential requests and the adoption of committee reports screening the nominees.