FG opens bid for Highway Development, Management Initiative

By Perpetua Onuegbu

The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing will officially open the bid for Value Added Concession under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) on Tuesday, 1 June 2021.

The bid will be witnessed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), other interested partners and stakeholders.

A statement by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director, Press and Public Relations Unit in the Ministry, revealed this to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

Recall that the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, received the Certificate of Compliance for the Outline Business Case for the HDMI in December 2020.

This was followed by the official launching of the E-portal (https://hdmi.worksandhousing.gov.ng) on 29 March 2021.

Applications were received from interested prospective concessionaires in response to the Request for Qualification (RFQ).

According to the statement, the Highway Development and Management Initiative was created by the ministry to develop and manage the Federal Road network through sustainable Private-Sector investment, maximising the use of assets along the right of way.

The 12 roads to be concessioned under the first phase of the HDMI are: Benin – Asaba, Abuja – Lokoja; Kaduna – Kano; Onitsha – Owerri – Aba; Shagamu – Benin; Abuja – Keffi – Akwanga; Lokoja – Benin; Enugu – Port Harcourt; Ilorin – Jebba; Lagos – Ota – Abeokuta; Lagos – Badagry; and Kano – Shuari – Potiskum – Damaturu.

The statement said the initiative is aimed at creating alternative sources of financing road development and management in the country while unlocking the massive economic potential of the project routes with attendant job creation.

NAN