The Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, and Sokoto State Governments are set to benefit from the World Bank’s $600 million Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) Scale-Up, aimed at constructing additional rural roads to enhance food production and market access across the states.
The Ekiti State Government has already signed a Subsidiary Loan Agreement (SLA) for enrollment in the Scale-Up phase of the project, which is jointly financed by the World Bank, the French Development Bank (AFD), and participating states through the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Speaking during the 9th Implementation Support Mission of the project on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, the National Coordinator of RAAMP, Engr. Aminu Bodinga Mohammed, said all 36 states and the FCT are expected to take part in the Scale-Up, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
Mohammed explained that Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, and Sokoto were among the few states that had fulfilled the conditions, having established the Rural Access Roads Agency (RARA) and State Roads Fund (SRF) as part of the required Road Sector Reforms.
He added that the new phase follows the success of the initial project, where beneficiary states accessed $488 million of the original $575 million earmarked for rural infrastructure.
Mohammed revealed that by April 2026, a total of 801.96km of rural roads would have been completed under the RAAMP initiative, noting that 273.33km have already been finished while 528.63km are currently under construction.
“When the project started, disbursement was the problem; later, it was procurement, but today, with the help of the World Bank and the French Development Bank, we have been able to surmount these challenges and are making progress.
“I am happy to inform you that another $500 million has been secured from the World Bank for the Scale-Up. This is a result of our collective efforts. We have put in place machinery to ensure the sustainability of the project with the establishment of State Roads Fund (SRF) and Rural Access Road Authority (RARA). All the 36 States and FCT will be participating in the Scale-Up,” he said.
Mohammed also ranked Ekiti second among six states in counterpart funding performance, commending Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration for providing adequate financial support to ensure the project’s success.
In his remarks, the World Bank’s Task Team Lead (TTL), Rakesh Tripathi, confirmed that the $600 million Scale-Up would be funded jointly by the bank and participating states through the federal government.
Tripathi praised the states for their dedication in recent months, acknowledging that heavy rainfall had slowed construction but urged them to ensure that “contract performance” matches “civil work performance.”
He further tasked all states to ensure that at least 90 per cent of previously awarded roads are completed within six months.
Reacting to Ekiti’s inclusion, the State Project Coordinator, Sunday Adunmo, described the Scale-Up as a “game changer” that would expand economic opportunities for rural communities through better road networks and increased market access.
Adunmo added that Ekiti RAAMP has already completed 50km of asphalted roads out of the 132km awarded at the start of the project.
