Construction work has started on a ten-lane Abuja Airport express way project in Nigeria valued at N257bn ($1.7bn).

The works include expansion of the two-lane highway into ten lanes, along with construction of the interchange bridges and the rehabilitation of the existing expressways.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will contribute 40% of the project funding with the remaining 60% sourced by the contractors.

Julius Berger Nigeria bagged the contract for the works on two parts of the Airport Expressway project while Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company and CGC Nigeria received the contract for construction work on the outer northern Kubwa expressway, according to reports in thisdayonline.com.

Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua said that the project was critical to advancing the nation’s economy.

The project is “another bold step in our march towards vision 20-2020, for which the quality of infrastructure will be one of the critical elements for economic growth and prosperity,” Yar’Adua said.