Akwa Ibom Records N879.22bn Infrastructure Investment Under Eno, Unveils Sports Development Plans
Reported By Facthabournews
The Akwa Ibom State Government says it has spent N879.22 billion on roads, bridges, erosion control, electrification and other infrastructure projects since Governor Umo Bassey Eno assumed office, while announcing fresh measures to strengthen sports development and grassroots talent discovery across the state.
The disclosures were made on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during a joint Ministerial Media Briefing covering the Ministries of Works and Sports Development at Akpan Isemin Hall, Government House, Uyo.
The briefing was coordinated by the Commissioner for Information, Elder Aniekan Umanah, and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ekerete Udoh.
Giving an account of activities in the Works Ministry, Commissioner for Works, Prof. Eno Ibanga, said the administration had undertaken 234 projects involving roads, bridges, erosion-control works, electrification and other interventions.
He said the projects covered approximately 1,159.6 kilometres of roads, with 40 bridges included among the infrastructure interventions. In addition, 43 Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) projects supported through World Bank and state counterpart funding are being implemented across the state. Reports from the briefing put the RAAMP coverage at between about 352.83 and 382.83 kilometres, while the state government has described the combined road coverage under its programmes as more than 1,500 kilometres.
Prof. Ibanga said the N879.22 billion expenditure excludes spending on the RAAMP projects.
According to the Commissioner, N747.51 billion of the expenditure went into projects initiated under the current administration, comprising N615.65 billion on Federal Government Priority Connectivity Committee (FGPC) projects and N131.86 billion on emergency interventions.
A further N131.71 billion was spent on projects inherited from previous administrations.
Ibanga explained that the administration inherited 105 projects and had funded all of them to varying stages. They comprised 47 FGPC projects, including 14 bridges, 51 direct-labour projects and seven erosion-control, electrification and related interventions.
Of the inherited projects, 57 have been completed, while 15 have been commissioned.
The administration has also initiated 129 projects, comprising FGPC, direct-labour and other intervention projects. According to the Commissioner, 26 of these projects have been completed, with 20 already commissioned.
On road maintenance, Ibanga said 123 potholes and failed-road locations had received patching and overlay works, with additional maintenance carried out at various locations within Uyo metropolis.
He added that the administration had set a target of constructing or improving at least 10 kilometres of roads in every local government area.
Among the major projects highlighted for 2026 are the Ibom Deep Seaport access road, internal roads at the International Market, Ikot Ekpene-Ikot Ibritam Road, Ikot Ekpene internal roads, Industrial Park internal roads, Shelter Afrique internal roads, Ndon Eyo-Ikot Akpan Abia-Ikot Nkwo Road, Nsit Atai-Nsit Ibom roads and internal roads in Inen Ekpene.
The Works Commissioner also linked the development of the ARISE Palm Resort to erosion-remediation works around Udo Udoma and Dominic Utuk avenues.
According to Ibanga, the road infrastructure programme has contributed to improved connectivity, shorter travel times, alternative routes, access to rural communities and economic activities, as well as employment opportunities. He also said the construction programme had required the relocation of power infrastructure in some areas to create the necessary right-of-way.
Another major area highlighted at the briefing was the transition from diesel-powered street lighting to solar-powered systems.
Ibanga said 6,386 out of 6,441 solar streetlights approved under Phases One and Two had been installed, representing approximately 95 per cent completion.
He said the transition had reduced monthly diesel consumption for street lighting from about 150,000 litres to less than 32,000 litres. Recent reports of the briefing put the corresponding monthly diesel expenditure at about N187.5 million before the transition and approximately N40 million after the transition, based on the figures presented by the ministry.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the ministry had installed a 1.1MVA generator and constructed a 1,500KVA dedicated substation at the Idongesit Nkanga State Secretariat Annex to facilitate connection of the facility to the national grid.
Meanwhile, Commissioner for Sports Development, Elder Paul Bassey, outlined plans to reposition the state’s sports sector and strengthen the development of young athletes.
Bassey said the Ministry of Sports Development became a standalone ministry on September 19, 2023, following its separation from the former Ministry of Youth Development and Sports.
He explained that the ministry’s mandate includes discovering, developing and empowering grassroots sporting talent, while using sports as a vehicle for human-capital development, youth empowerment, tourism, employment generation and economic diversification.
According to the Commissioner, the ministry inherited about 110 staff, 18 coaches and 28 ad-hoc coaches, alongside more than 128 non-staff personnel, including 103 performing athletes and 24 labour hands.
He listed the hosting of the 2025 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival, Judiciary Games and Niger Delta Games among the ministry’s activities, as well as the state’s participation in the 2025 National Sports Festival in Abeokuta.
The ministry also procured sporting equipment and established a database for tracking athletes’ performances and timings.
Bassey said Akwa Ibom participated in 22 sports at the 2025 National Sports Festival and finished ninth among the participating states, which he described as the state’s best performance in a long period.
The state also hosted the zonal elimination of the National Youth Games for team sports and the MTN Making of Champions competition. Through the latter programme, at least 10 athletes secured scholarships and training opportunities at the Making of Champions Academy in Lagos.
The Commissioner said the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium continued to receive maintenance under the current administration. He also highlighted the stadium’s recognition at the Pitch Awards in 2024 and 2025, while noting that Governor Eno received the Football-Loving Governor of the Year award.
A gymnasium was also constructed at the stadium with support from Julius Berger.
Bassey further disclosed that Governor Eno had approved monthly allowances for performing athletes and financial rewards for medal winners.
At the 2025 National Youth Games in Asaba, Team Akwa Ibom won 11 gold, nine silver and 10 bronze medals. According to the Commissioner, approved rewards were N500,000 for gold medallists, N250,000 for silver medallists and N150,000 for bronze medallists.
Three Akwa Ibom athletes who won medals while representing Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games were also granted automatic employment, according to the Commissioner.
The state has additionally approved the construction of an ARISE Sports Academy in Eket, beginning with perimeter fencing and a gatehouse.
Bassey said the academy would initially focus on selected sports in which Akwa Ibom has demonstrated strength, while the broader sports development strategy would cover athletes, coaches, schools, clubs, sports medicine, physiotherapy, analytics, player management, sponsorship, broadcasting and merchandising.
Governor Eno has also directed the ministry to explore the revival of inter-school and inter-house sports as part of efforts to identify young talents at an early stage.
The government is also seeking stronger private-sector participation in sports, particularly in disciplines beyond football, including chess, boxing, swimming, wrestling, weightlifting, athletics, judo and karate.
Reacting to the briefing, the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Nsibiet John, commended the state government for sustaining its engagement with the media.
He also commended journalists for raising issues that reflect the concerns of residents, saying the briefing had provided journalists with information that would assist them in communicating government programmes to the public.
John pledged the continued use of the information provided while urging the government to sustain efforts aimed at improving the welfare and development of Akwa Ibom people.
The ministerial briefing forms part of the state’s broader engagement with the media as Akwa Ibom marks 39 years since its creation, with the government presenting updates on infrastructure, sports and other sectors under the administration of Governor Umo Eno.
