Economy
Tinubu Government Unveils Toll Gates On Abuja–Makurdi Road, Charges N500, N1,600
Tinubu Government Unveils Toll Gates On Abuja–Makurdi Road, Charges N500, N1,600
Tinubu government unveils toll gates on Abuja–Makurdi road, charges N500, N1,600. The Federal Government on Tuesday officially launched toll operations on the Abuja–Akwanga–Lafia–Makurdi Road corridor to repay the $460.8 million loan obtained from the China Exim Bank for the road’s rehabilitation and upgrade.
It also announced that motorists using the highway would begin paying tolls ranging from N500 for saloon cars to N1,600 for multi-axle vehicles.
However, police and military vehicles are exempt from toll fees to facilitate their operations.
The toll gates on the route are divided into four sections: Keffi, Akwanga, Lafia, and Makurdi.
The 227.2km road was rehabilitated and upgraded through a preferential credit loan from the China Exim Bank. The last administration secured a $460.8 million loan from the bank, covering 85 per cent of the project’s $542 million total cost.
As part of the loan agreement, the Federal Government committed to tolling the road upon completion, with revenue collected from toll operations prioritised for loan repayment.
Speaking at the official commissioning of toll operations at the Garaku Toll Station in Nasarawa State, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the proper maintenance of Nigeria’s federal roads through sustainable funding mechanisms.
Represented by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, Umahi stated that the road was rehabilitated and upgraded through a preferential credit loan from the China Exim Bank.
According to him, funds generated from tolls would also be used for the maintenance of federal roads nationwide, adding that toll operations would help sustain road networks across the country.
He explained that in 2023, the previous administration executed a 25-year “Operate and Maintain” concession agreement with Messrs China Harbour Operations and Maintenance Company Limited in partnership with Messrs Catamaran Nigeria Limited.
He said, “It is with great pride and optimism that I stand before you today, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, as we officially launch toll operations on our federal roads, beginning with the 227.2km Abuja–Keffi–Akwanga–Lafia–Makurdi Road corridor.
“As you are aware, this road corridor is a vital infrastructure route in Nigeria, serving as a key highway for economic and social activities in the central and northern regions of the country.
“It is crucial for Nigeria’s economic, social, and strategic development, serving as an essential artery for trade, mobility, and national security while contributing to infrastructure growth, urbanisation, and national cohesion.
“It is worth recalling that the Federal Government rehabilitated and upgraded the road through a preferential credit loan from the China Exim Bank.
Toll operations mark a pivotal step towards achieving our vision for a more efficient, sustainable, and well-maintained road transport system.
“Today, we embark on a journey to ensure that our infrastructure is preserved for the benefit of present and future generations. The collection of tolls will generate much-needed revenue for road maintenance and expansion.”
The minister stated that the project aligns with the priorities of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to build a robust and interconnected infrastructure network.
“It is important to state that the Toll Order/Fee Schedule has been gazetted as follows: saloon cars will be tolled at N500, SUVs/jeeps at N800, minibuses at N1,000, and multi-axle vehicles at N1,600.
“However, frequent road users, such as commercial light vehicles defined under the Federal Highway Act, will enjoy a 50 per cent discount,” he added.
Additionally, tricycles, pedal vehicles, motorcycles, and other two- or three-wheeled transport modes primarily used by disadvantaged populations will be exempt from toll charges.
Also speaking, the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, represented by his deputy, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, commended the President for completing the road and urged Nigerians to cooperate to ensure the project’s success.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Folorunsho Adebiyi, emphasised the importance of roads and the need for their proper management.
Adebiyi noted that less than one per cent of Nigerians travel by air.
He said, “In Nigeria today, we have four major modes of transport: air, rail, water, and road.

Toll Gates
“The most accessible, affordable, and realistic means of transport remains the road. Air travel is faster and preferable for those who value time, but the reality is that less than one per cent of Nigerians travel by air.”
He further stressed the need to generate sufficient revenue for effective road maintenance.
“When you examine the statistics, domestic air travel in Nigeria records about 13 million passengers annually, with approximately 12 million travelling internationally. However, when adjusted to exclude duplicate names, the actual number drops to less than 250,000.
“This is why our roads appear extremely stressed. As traffic volume increases daily, the average load on our roads also rises,” he stated.
Crime
Brazil Fines TikTok $30m Over Failure to Implement Child Safety
Brazil Fines TikTok $30m Over Failure to Implement Child Safety
Brazil’s data protection agency on Tuesday fined TikTok nearly $30 million for failing to implement child safety measures in what it said was a “powerful signal” to social media companies.
Eereporter.com
Brazil has taken a tough stance on the regulation of social media platforms, cracking down on disinformation and requiring users under 16 years to have their accounts linked to those of their parents.
An enforcement director with the ANPD data protection agency, Fabricio Lopes, told a press conference that TikTok “was not taking the necessary measures to prevent adolescents from accessing the platform and from having the data of these children and adolescents processed.”
This data was “being used to offer advertising to adolescents.”
He said the fine of 153.7m reais ($29.9 million) was a “powerful signal to other platforms regarding how seriously the ANPD takes this work” and that the agency hoped they “get the message.”
TikTok agreed last week to pay $400m to settle a lawsuit with the US Department of Justice over claims that the video-sharing platform collected children’s personal data without parental permission.
– Tougher enforcement –
This month, the ANPD also ordered popular streaming platform Discord to suspend livestreams and video calls after a teenage girl was allegedly encouraged to take her own life during a broadcast.
The agency told AFP that an appeal filed by Discord on Monday against the suspension is under review.
ANPD director Lorena Coutinho said the agency had, last week, initiated proceedings to verify the compliance of 22 social media networks and platforms with a law passed this year to protect children and teens online.
In addition to the fine, the ANPD ordered TikTok parent company ByteDance to delete data collected in violation of regulations.
Coutinho said TikTok had committed to suspend all adverts for users who are not logged in.
TikTok has committed to “implementing a compliance plan to improve the protection of children and adolescents,” the ANPD said.

Brazil Fines TikTok
The platform will be required to automatically apply stricter privacy settings to accounts belonging to children under the age of 16, strengthen parental supervision systems, and implement stricter content filters.
TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment from AFP.
In 2024, the platform X was blocked for 40 days in Brazil, until the social media network owned by the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, complied with the Supreme Court’s orders to remove accounts spreading disinformation.
Eereporter.com
Economy
Umahi Leads the Way as Tinubu Orders Immediate Action on Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Intervention
Umahi Leads the Way as Tinubu Orders Immediate Action on Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Intervention
The Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has moved swiftly to address the worsening condition of the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti road in Ekiti and Kogi States, and Benin-Agbor-Asaba Roads following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for urgent intervention to ease the hardship being faced by motorists and commuters.
Eereporter.com
Umahi, who expressed deep concern over the deplorable condition of the road and the suffering of road users who have spent hours and, in some cases, days on the route, said the Federal Government was determined to take immediate corrective measures while working towards permanent solutions.
“President Tinubu, GCFR, has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently intervene and ensure that necessary corrective actions are taken to restore movement on the affected roads as quickly as possible.” Said Umahi
The Minister, in response to the directive, has already set machinery in motion for immediate action.
As part of the intervention, Umahi directed the Minister of State for Works to lead a team of ministry officials to the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti axis to assess the situation and commence urgent remedial works.
The assignment is already on as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, with officials of the Ministry on the ground to begin the intervention.
While the intervention team moved into Ekiti and Kogi States, Umahi himself headed to Benin, Edo State, alongside members of the National Assembly Works Committees, to initiate a similar coordinated intervention on the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road.
The Benin meeting is expected to bring together key stakeholders, including representatives of the Edo and Delta State Governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), with the aim of finding immediate solutions to the challenges confronting motorists on the strategic corridor.
Umahi also took responsibility for the unfortunate situation on the affected roads and apologised to commuters who have been stranded or delayed for several hours and days.

Benin-Agbor-Asaba
He assured road users that the Federal Government’s response would go beyond temporary relief, with immediate measures being pursued alongside permanent solutions to restore the affected roads and improve their long-term reliability.
Francis Nwaze
Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works (Media)
August 25, 2026
Eereporter.com
Economy
NNPC Cares: Boost for Nationwide Medical Access as NMSL Deploys Laparoscopic Instrument in Abuja
NNPC Cares: Boost for Nationwide Medical Access as NMSL Deploys Laparoscopic Instrument in Abuja
NNPC Medical Services Limited (NMSL) has deployed articulating laparoscopic instruments at its main hospital in Utako, Abuja. The machine is an advanced surgical equipment designed to enhance precision and flexibility during laparoscopic procedures.
Eereporter.com
The latest deployment widens the range of procedures available at the medical facility and represents a boost for healthcare access in the country.

NNPC
Acting Managing Director / Chief Operating Officer, NMSL, Dr. Dickson Bada, received the equipment from SQI Limited, represented by Dr. Emmanuel Otitoloju.
NNPC Limited continues to invest in its medical facilities, which are open to the public nationwide, towards improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Eereporter.com
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