The Kogi State Government has dismissed speculation that the planned construction and rehabilitation of the 38-kilometre Kabba–Iluke–Bunu Road is a World Bank-funded intervention, insisting the project was conceived, approved and is being financed entirely by the state under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
The clarification was made on Monday by the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, during a press conference in Lokoja held on behalf of the people of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area.
Jones said the briefing had become necessary to correct what he described as a deliberate misrepresentation of the project’s funding source. He explained that following years of public outcry over the deplorable condition of the Kabba–Iluke–Bunu corridor, the state government commissioned a comprehensive survey and engineering design of the entire 38-kilometre stretch about 12 months ago. The technical assessment, he said, found that ordinary rehabilitation would not resolve the road’s failed sections, prompting engineers to recommend total reconstruction to deliver lasting relief to residents and motorists.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Works published an advertisement in national dailies on Friday, September 6, 2026, inviting eligible contractors to bid for the construction and rehabilitation of several roads under an Open Competitive Bidding process. Alongside the Kabba–Iluke–Bunu Road in Kabba/Bunu LGA, the advertised roads included the Idah–Onyedega Road in Ibaji LGA and the Odonyi–Oguma–Sheria Road in Bassa LGA. Jones stressed that procurement for the Kabba–Iluke–Bunu Road is being financed solely by the Kogi State Government.
Addressing claims linking the project to the World Bank or to an individual outside the state, the commissioner said World Bank-backed projects do not involve private individuals and are instead processed directly between the Federal Government and the Bank, typically through grants or loans requiring counterpart funding from the beneficiary state. As an example, he pointed to the ongoing AGILE Project in Kogi State, whose advertisement explicitly stated that the Federal Republic of Nigeria had received financing from the World Bank for the construction of 28 secondary schools across the state. By contrast, he said, the advertisement for the Kabba–Iluke–Bunu Road was issued directly by the Kogi State Government through the Ministry of Works and carries no World Bank involvement whatsoever.
Jones said the people of Kabba/Bunu were elated that their years of agitation had finally been heard, adding that Governor Ododo had demonstrated a sense of belonging by approving the road project. He urged those seeking to politicise the intervention to instead commend the governor, and rejected any attempt to hijack credit for what he called a life-changing project for the area.
Speaking on behalf of Kabba/Bunu LGA, the commissioner assured Governor Ododo of the people’s continued support for his administration and his political ambitions beyond 2027. He said leadership is measured by impact, and that in approving the road, the governor had shown that he listens to and cares for the people.
The Kabba–Iluke–Bunu Road has for years been described by residents as a nightmare for commuters because of its failed sections. The state government’s decision to undertake full construction of the corridor is expected to ease transportation and boost economic activity in the area.
