Economic and Historical Antecedents to Niger Delta’s Transportation Infrastructure Project Backlog

Abstract

This research work articulates the regional and socio-economic background of the Niger Delta region,
within the wider context of highway development in Nigeria. Against this backdrop, the historical
antecedents to the current institutional structure of highway development and administration in Nigeria
are traced. The existing development framework for investment in transportation infrastructure is
reviewed, with emphasis on Nigeria’s posture as a developing country. The study further chronicles the
various infrastructure developmental initiatives set up in the Niger Delta. The findings show that past
regional developmental efforts were mostly fraught with prolonged delays and abandonments, leaving
in their wake a monumental backlog of uncompleted road projects. As a result, most communities in the
Niger Delta region are yet to be linked up by roads, which reflects the significant investment which will
be required to increase mobility in the Niger Delta region. Given the current developmental effort
taking place in the region, the study makes a case for the judicious management of funds invested in
highway development, with due cognizance of the learning experiences acquired from the past, to avert
history repeating itself.

Keywords: Highway development, historical, infrastructure, investment, Niger Delta