Something appears to be changing in Benue State. For years, the state has struggled with insecurity, poor infrastructure, economic hardship and abandoned projects. But a different picture is gradually emerging, driven by new roads, bridges, healthcare investments and industrial activity. Across communities, residents increasingly speak of two things: the performance of Governor Hyacinth Alia and the support coming from President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The emerging story is largely linked to closer cooperation between Makurdi and Abuja, with several Benue development projects receiving attention from both governments. Among them are the Wurukum flyover, Makurdi underpass, Oju-Awajir Road, Buruku Bridge, the Makurdi-Otukpo-Obollo-Afor-Enugu highway and investments in the Benue State University Teaching Hospital.
In Makurdi, the high-level underpass and Wurukum flyover have become prominent features of the state’s urban renewal programme. The projects are expected to ease congestion and improve movement within the capital. The Oju-Awajir Road is also opening up communities across Gwer East, Konshisha and Oju Local Government Areas, creating easier access for residents, farmers and businesses.
Healthcare is another area where the administration is recording significant investment. The state government says more than N20 billion has been committed to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital.
According to the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr Stephen Terungwa Hwande, the facility now boasts advanced medical equipment and specialised services capable of attracting patients from within and outside Benue. The government is also working on the regeneration of the Otobi Water Treatment Plant in Otukpo to expand access to potable water.
One of the major federal interventions is the Buruku Bridge across the Katsina-Ala River. The bridge is expected to connect farming communities across Buruku, Katsina-Ala, Logo and Ukum with parts of Taraba State. For years, residents relied on boats to cross the river, creating difficulties for farmers and traders. With construction approaching completion, the bridge could become an important economic link for one of Nigeria’s major agricultural regions.
The Federal Government is also constructing and dualising the 258-kilometre Makurdi-Otukpo-Obollo-Afor-Enugu Highway. The road is designed to improve the movement of agricultural products from northern communities to commercial centres in the South.
The project is being funded by the China Exim Bank and the Nigerian government. Federal Controller of Works in Benue, Engr. Mukaila Danladi, said the project began in 2023 and is expected to be completed by December 2027. He added that funding was progressing through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund.
Beyond Benue development projects involving roads and bridges, Governor Alia is also pursuing industrialisation as part of his economic strategy.
The administration has facilitated the establishment of the Food Basket Brewery, which produces beer and malt drinks. It is also working to revive the moribund Taraku Mill, once a major industrial asset in the state. Alia said a partnership had been secured to revive the soybean-processing facility and return it to productive use.
A fruit concentrate plant at the facility is also expected to begin operations soon. For an agriculture-driven economy, the revival of processing industries could strengthen the connection between farming, manufacturing, employment and commerce.
While expressing satisfaction with his administration’s progress, Governor Alia acknowledged that significant work remains. He said the state would continue seeking partnerships with investors to expand industrial activity, create employment and reduce unemployment.
“We have to set our priorities right and come out with a blueprint that is implementable to add value to the people we serve,” Alia said.
Deputy Governor Sam Ode also commended the administration’s infrastructure programme, saying the projects were improving both urban and rural communities. He attributed the ability to execute several projects simultaneously to what he described as effective resource management.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, meanwhile defended government borrowing for infrastructure development. He argued that the critical issue was not simply whether government borrowed, but how borrowed funds were deployed.
According to Onanuga, the investments were being converted into roads, bridges and infrastructure designed to connect communities, facilitate commerce and enable farmers to transport produce to markets. He said the funds were not being diverted into “invisible accounts” but were being used for projects capable of generating wider economic activity.
The growing cooperation between the Alia administration and the Tinubu government could carry political significance as the 2027 elections approach. The visible partnership between Abuja and Makurdi is already being presented as an example of what stronger federal-state cooperation can achieve when political rivalry does not dominate governance.
If the projects are completed and residents experience measurable improvements in transportation, healthcare, employment and economic activity, both administrations could potentially benefit politically. For now, however, Benue’s immediate story is one of roads being opened, bridges rising, industries returning to production and healthcare infrastructure receiving fresh investment.
Whether these Benue development projects will ultimately translate into political dividends in 2027 will depend on how residents judge their impact and whether the electorate believes the emerging transformation is substantial enough to reward at the ballot box.
