Karu Residents Hail Tinubu, Wike as Road Project Ends Traffic, Flooding Woes

Residents, business owners and commuters in the Karu area of the Federal Capital Territory have expressed relief following the completion of a 15-kilometre road project, saying the new infrastructure has improved traffic flow, reduced flooding and made business activities easier.

The project, executed by indigenous construction company Abdul-Val Nigeria Limited, was awarded on August 22, 2025. It runs from the Karu Interchange on the Abuja-Keffi Expressway to Customs Clinic Junction and includes several connecting roads in the area.

The feeder roads covered by the project include DSS Road, NIA Road, EFCC Road, Primus Hospital Road and Old CBN Quarters Road.

Before the project was completed, residents and motorists regularly faced heavy traffic, poor drainage and flooding, especially during the rainy season. The condition often made movement difficult and affected businesses operating along the busy corridor.

Some residents who spoke about the completed project said the situation had improved considerably.

A shop owner, Chinyere Obasi, said the better road and installation of streetlights had made a positive difference to businesses in the area. She said customers and residents could now move around more easily, while business activities had also improved.

A teacher, Anita Ogunwunmi, also said the project had reduced the amount of time commuters spent on the road. She recalled that traffic congestion was previously severe, particularly when rainfall caused flooding along the route.

According to her, the improved road has made her daily journey to work easier and allows her to leave home later without the fear of being trapped in traffic for a long period.

Another resident and motorist, Johnpaul Adamu, described the transformation as a major change from the situation before construction began.

Adamu said the corridor had previously suffered from poor drainage, flooding and serious traffic problems. He said the completed road, drainage system and streetlights had transformed the area and made it safer and easier to navigate, including at night.

He also praised FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for the infrastructure projects being carried out across the capital and expressed support for the administration’s continued development efforts.

The Project Manager of Abdul-Val Nigeria Limited, Haci Cengiz, said the completion of the Karu project showed that Nigerian construction companies have the capacity to deliver large infrastructure projects.

Cengiz thanked the FCT administration for supporting local contractors and said the company had completed the Karu project fully after successfully delivering an earlier road project in Ushafa.

He explained that the company had completed the Ushafa road project ahead of its scheduled completion period and applied the same approach to the Karu project.

According to him, the company was able to complete the work by ensuring that construction materials, equipment and other resources were available throughout the project.

The project also provided jobs for residents of the host communities. Cengiz said about 259 workers were involved in the project, with many of them recruited from surrounding communities.

He added that the employment created by the project also supported local businesses because workers spent money on food, transport and other services within the communities.

The project manager further called for continued support for indigenous construction companies, saying local firms retain technical knowledge, experience and equipment within the country after completing projects.

For residents and commuters, the completed Karu road has brought relief from some of the problems that affected the area for years. They said the improved roads, drainage and streetlights have made transportation easier, reduced travel delays and created a better environment for businesses to operate.

The development also marks another infrastructure project completed under the current FCT administration as efforts continue to improve roads and other facilities across the capital.