Road infrastructure maintenance is a challenge in Nigeria. Delta State in particular has seen an accelerated deterioration of its roads over the past several years, a problem linked to the region's intensive oil exploitation.

The government of Delta State, in southeastern Nigeria, has signed a 78 billion naira (approx. 102 million USD) contract with the Nigerian branch of French construction group Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, for the construction of 3 motorway bridges, an interchange, pedestrian bridges and the extension of certain roads in and around the Warri district.

These projects, which are part of the state's development program, are designed to increase the density of the road network and improve existing infrastructure, which is often damaged by the large tankers that export oil via the port of Warri.

As Nigeria's main oil-producing basin, Delta State's lack of multimodal infrastructure means that oil shipments are concentrated on one of the country's busiest road networks, with large flows of heavy goods vehicles, accelerating their deterioration. This is in addition to road congestion and the high risk of accidents.

Construction of the new infrastructure should improve road conditions, which could have a positive impact on the state's current mobility challenges, linked in particular to early vehicle depreciation, the external costs of transport and the high risk of accidents.

Agence Ecofin