Failure to Reconstruct Kano-Maiduguri Expressway Could Hurt Our Business — Traders Union

From Sani Saleh Chinade, Azare

The Public Relations Officer of the Confederation of Traders Association of Nigeria (North-East Zone), Auwalu Yusuf, popularly known as Auwal Yobe, has raised concerns over the deteriorating condition of the Kano-Maiduguri Expressway, warning that continued neglect could have serious implications for businesses in the region.

Speaking to our correspondent in Azare, Mr. Auwalu expressed disappointment over the federal government’s failure to repair sections of the road damaged by recent monsoon floods, particularly those affecting parts of Bauchi State.

He noted that several sections of the highway—including areas near Sabon Gari, less than three kilometers from Azare town, and another near Buskuri village to the east—remain impassable since last year’s rainy season. “If the road had not been so vital to our economy, it would have been completely abandoned by now,” he said.

Mr. Auwalu called on the governors of the North-East—specifically Bauchi State, Yobe State (Governor Mai Mala Buni), Borno State (Governor Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum), as well as their counterparts in Gombe, Adamawa, and Taraba—to unite in appealing to the federal government to prioritize the road’s rehabilitation before the rainy season begins.

He warned that failure to act could bring transportation and trade in the region to a halt. “If the road is not fixed, there is no hope. Once the rains come, the situation could worsen. Transportation costs have already skyrocketed—from one million naira to 1.5 million naira—for moving goods from Kano to Borno due to detours through longer, alternative routes,” he said.