NEWS
Abia, NRC Partner on 200-Metre Railway Link Road to Ease Umuahia Traffic
The Abia State Government has announced a partnership with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to construct a 200-metre link road across the railway axis in Umuahia, in a major intervention aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving movement within the state capital.
The proposed road is expected to create an additional route for motorists and strengthen connectivity between some of the major commercial and administrative corridors around the city.
The link road will run from the Bende Road Junction, around the Post Office Tower, pass through the railway crossing and connect to the First Bank and Akanu Ibiam Road axis.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed the development on Monday, September 7, 2026, while briefing newsmen at the Government House, Umuahia, on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti, OFR.
According to the Commissioner, the project is already at an advanced preparatory stage, with the design and scoping of the proposed road completed. He said actual construction would commence soon.
The project is part of the state government’s broader effort to transform Umuahia’s transportation infrastructure and address traffic bottlenecks that have persisted around key sections of the city.
“In accordance with the state government’s agenda of improving the state’s transport sector to 21st century standards, we recently signed an MOU with the Nigerian Railway Corporation to construct a 200-meter road extension that stretches from Bende Road, junction by the Post Office Tower, through the railway crossing to the First Bank and Akanu Ibiam Road areas.
“Construction of the road will commence soon with the design and scoping of the road. Work has also commenced on the renovation and retrofitting of one of the existing structures within the railway station, with a view to relocating the present police post to another place,” Prince Kanu stated.
The Commissioner also disclosed that the state government had commenced the renovation and retrofitting of one of the existing structures within the railway station. The facility is expected to accommodate the police post currently located within the area, thereby creating room for the planned road intervention.
Beyond the railway crossing project, Prince Kanu said the government would also reconstruct the abandoned road connecting the First Bank area to the locations housing Keystone Bank, Sterling Bank and FCMB.
The reconstruction is expected to provide another important link within the city’s commercial district while improving access between adjoining roads and business areas.
Prince Kanu explained that the combined interventions were strategically designed to reduce congestion around Bende Road and make movement easier for motorists heading towards the Federal Medical Centre and Isigate axis.
He added that the projects would also have a positive impact on traffic movement along Okpara Avenue, one of the important routes within Umuahia.
The Commissioner stressed that the railway corridor project would provide motorists with an alternative route, helping to distribute vehicular movement and reduce pressure on existing roads that currently handle a significant volume of traffic.
The initiative, he noted, aligns with the administration’s broader objective of modernising the state’s transportation system and improving the overall efficiency of urban mobility.
The intervention also represents a significant collaboration between the state government and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, particularly in opening up infrastructure around the railway corridor for improved connectivity.
Prince Kanu reiterated that the projects form part of the Otti administration’s determination to reposition Abia’s transport sector to meet modern standards and deliver more efficient road infrastructure to residents and road users.
The government is expected to proceed with the construction once the necessary preparatory processes are concluded, with the new road ultimately providing an additional access corridor through a section of Umuahia that has remained constrai
ned by the railway alignment.