Major Project Targets Safer Travel, Reduced Journey Time and Stronger Economic Connectivity Across Enugu North.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform | September 18, 2026.
ENUGU — Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has flagged off the construction and dualisation of the 43.7-kilometre Penoks–Abakpa Nike–Ugwogo Nike–Opi–Nsukka Road, a major infrastructure project designed to strengthen connectivity between Enugu metropolis and the Nsukka zone.
The project, which includes street lighting, road expansion and the straightening of dangerous bends, was officially flagged off at Opi on October 28, 2024, with an initial 18-month completion timeframe.
The road comprises approximately 3.6 kilometres from Penoks Junction to the T-Junction flyover, alongside the approximately 41-kilometre Abakpa Nike–Opi–Nsukka section.
According to Governor Mbah, the intervention was conceived as part of efforts to improve movement between Enugu and Nsukka, particularly given the importance of Nsukka as a major economic and population centre in the state.
At the flag-off, the Governor said the project was intended to reduce the journey between Enugu and Nsukka, which he noted could take more than an hour, to approximately 30 minutes when completed.
Beyond reducing travel time, the redesign of the route is expected to improve road safety. The government has specifically identified sharp bends along sections of the road for correction, with officials saying the intervention is intended to improve visibility and reduce accidents.
Recent inspection reports indicate that construction activities have continued along the route. In August 2026, members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, inspected the ongoing project and observed construction of a bypass along the route. According to the Permanent Secretary in the Enugu State Ministry of Works, Engr. Anyaorah Okereke, the bypass is expected to shorten the distance between Abakpa Nike and Opi Junction by approximately five kilometres when completed.
The project is also expected to enhance commercial transportation and facilitate the movement of people, agricultural produce, goods and services between Enugu metropolis, Nsukka and surrounding communities.
Governor Mbah has previously explained that the administration’s infrastructure strategy is designed to connect communities while opening up economic opportunities across the state. The Penoks–Abakpa Nike–Opi–Nsukka corridor is particularly significant because of its connection to the Enugu North Senatorial District and the wider Nsukka economic zone.
The Chairman of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Samuel Asadu, had commended the project at the flag-off ceremony, describing it as a major intervention for the Nsukka cultural zone.
The contractor handling the project, COMAG Construction Company, also pledged to deliver the road according to the required quality standards and within the agreed timeframe.
With work progressing on the corridor, the dualisation represents one of the major road infrastructure projects linking the Enugu urban area with the state’s northern communities.
When completed, the upgraded route is expected to provide a wider and more modern transport corridor, improve road safety, facilitate movement and strengthen economic interaction between Enugu and Nsukka.
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