The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing says it will open the bid for value-added concession under the Highway Development and Management Initiative on June 1, 2021.

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

The ministry’s spokesperson Boade Akinola, in a statement, disclosed this to journalists on Monday in Abuja.

Works minister 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 March 29, 2021.

Applications were received from interested prospective concessionaires in response to the request for qualification.

According to the statement, the HDMI 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 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 added that the initiative would create 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)