The 1970s were the last GOLDEN decade for infrastructure in Nigeria. Sobering thought. Take it from me (I’m not kidding) that it is Buhari’s plan to lay the foundation for the 2020s to aspire to beat the great ambition of the 1970s. Rail, Roads, Power Plants, Ports, Gas Infra.
He’s already demonstrated this in the last 3-4 years: Presidential Infra Development Fund (PIDF), Road Infra Tax Credit Scheme, #SukukBonds, #GreenBonds, Chinese Partnership to deliver Rail & Ports, etc. But all of this is really just ‘warming-up.’ The 2020s hold great potential.
Whoever succeeds PMB on May 29, 2023 will have no choice but to ride the Infrastructure momentum already created, and take it to the ‘Nexter’ Level. And that way we will beat the record of the 1970s and in doing so hopefully inspire ourselves to even greater national ambitions.
The 70s gave us these and more: Refineries (big part of this work done when Col Buhari was in charge of Petroleum), Murtala Mohammed Airport, 3rd Mainland Bridge (first part opened 1980 or so, longer stretch 1990), Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Apapa-Oworonshoki Exp, Tin Can Port etc
