On April 30, 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the ₦1.5 trillion Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), aiming to enhance the nation's road infrastructure through strategic partnerships with private sector concessionaires.​

During a high-level meeting in Abuja, chaired by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and attended by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, as well as the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, the government engaged with private investors managing nine major highway projects spanning approximately 900 kilometers.

These projects are structured under 25-year concession agreements, wherein the private partners will finance, reconstruct, and maintain the highways, recouping their investments through tolling mechanisms. Minister Edun emphasized that this model is pivotal for accelerating development, especially in light of Nigeria's recent macroeconomic stabilization and a 3.4% GDP growth in 2024, despite global economic challenges.

The Benin–Asaba highway serves as a successful example of this initiative, with its concession agreement finalized and preliminary reconstruction activities already underway. This project is anticipated to significantly reduce travel time between Benin and Asaba, enhancing productivity and connectivity in the region.

However, the meeting also highlighted certain administrative hurdles that need resolution before the commencement of construction on the remaining projects. Concessionaires have requested enforceable documentation specifying takeoff and handover dates, as well as the signing of addendums to the original agreements to facilitate tolling on completed sections while work progresses on others.

The government has pledged to address these concerns promptly, with plans to reconvene with all stakeholders, including the Minister of Works, to finalize the necessary arrangements. This initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu's "Renewed Hope Agenda," focusing on fiscal discipline, strategic investment, and job creation through private sector-led infrastructure development.

The HDMI, launched in 2021, represents a strategic effort to involve the private sector in improving Nigeria's federal road network, aiming to generate over 50,000 direct and 200,000 indirect jobs, thereby contributing significantly to the country's economic growth and development.