by Aliyu Ibrahim Kankara
How Our ₦250 Billion Roads Made Lagos Richer… And Katsina Poorer
Must Read Before You Clap For Any New Road Project
Brothers and Sisters of Katsina,
We all love good roads. No one is saying “don’t build roads”. But let’s ask one hard question:
If Katsina Govt spent ₦250 BILLION on roads in 3 years, why are our youth still jobless? Why are cement shops in Kofar Kaura closing? Why is money not circulating in our market?
The answer will pain you. Because the money for those roads left Katsina before the first truck of sand arrived.
1. THE ₦250 BILLION ROAD STORY
From 2023 till now, Katsina Govt awarded roads worth over ₦250 billion. 160km+ of urban + rural roads. Eastern Bypass, Daura Bypass, Funtua roads, Musawa road, etc.
We clapped. We took pictures.
But 90% of that money never touched Katsina economy. How?
2. WHERE YOUR ₦250 BILLION WENT - THE 4 LEAKAGES
Imagine ₦1 billion contract to big multinational contractor:
1. ₦500 MILLION for Cement, Iron Rods, Diesel
What they do: Buy direct from Dangote Lagos, BUA Sokoto, Port Harcourt.
What Katsina loses_: Our Kofar Kaura cement dealers, rod sellers, local truck drivers get ZERO. ₦500m flies to Lagos/Port Harcourt.
For ₦250bn roads = ₦100 BILLION lost_
2. *₦180 MILLION for Labour/Masons/Drivers
What they do: Bring workers from Kano, Kaduna, Lagos. Hire 20 Katsina boys only to offload cement.
What Katsina loses_: 500 Katsina youths lose 2 years of salary. ₦180m wages leave the state.
For ₦250bn roads = ₦31.5 BILLION lost_
3. ₦120 MILLION for Drainage, Kerbs, Culverts
_What they do_: Contractor’s own crew does everything. No local sub-contract.
What Katsina loses: 100 small Katsina contractors who cast kerbs, build drains get nothing. ₦120m lost.
For ₦250bn roads = ₦27 BILLION lost_
4. ₦200 MILLION Profit + Equipment Hire
What they do: Profit goes to company HQ in Lagos/Abuja. Equipment rented from Lagos.
What Katsina loses_: ₦200m leaves immediately.
For ₦250bn roads = ₦50 BILLION lost
TOTAL MONEY THAT MISSED KATSINA MARKET: ₦208 BILLION OUT OF ₦250 BILLION
3. THE ₦600 BILLION DAMAGE YOU DON’T SEE
Economy works like this: ₦1,000 you spend at Alhaji’s cement shop becomes ₦3,000. Because Alhaji pays his boy → boy buys suya → suya man buys cow → cow seller buys grass.
This is called “multiplier effect”.
But when ₦100bn is spent at Dangote Lagos depot, multiplier for Katsina = ZERO.
If that ₦100bn was spent in Katsina, our economy would gain *₦300bn - ₦600bn* in 3 years. Shops would open. Boys would get jobs. Govt would collect more tax.
So Katsina didn’t just lose ₦208bn. We lost ₦600 BILLION in total business, jobs, and opportunities.
4. THE PAIN IS REAL - CHECK YOURSELF
1. Go to road project site today. Count how many Katsina indigenes are operating machines. Less than 10%.
2. Ask cement dealers at Central Market. Sales dropped since big projects started.
3. Ask “Kulle-Kulle” block makers. No contract from road projects.
4. Youths who should earn ₦3,000/day are still doing “okada” because contractor brought his own boys.
We built roads, yes. But we killed our own economy to build them.
5. THE SOLUTION IS NOT “STOP ROADS”. THE SOLUTION IS “LOCAL CONTENT LAW”
Other states are doing it. Kaduna, Lagos, Ebonyi. Katsina must copy:
1. 40% Rule: Contractor MUST buy 40% of cement, sand, granite from Katsina dealers within 100km.
2. 60% Jobs for Indigenes: All unskilled + 50% skilled labour must be Katsina people. Contractor must train them.
3. Small Contracts for Locals: Drainage, kerbs, road marking, streetlight wiring must go to 100 small Katsina companies, not contractor’s crew.
4. Partner with Katsina Firms: Every big contractor must do JV with 2 local construction companies.
If we did this, ₦250bn roads would create 20,000 jobs and ₦120bn business for Katsina people.
FINAL WORD: ROAD WITHOUT WEALTH IS DANGER
A road that only connects villages but destroys local businesses is a “road of poverty”.
A road that connects villages AND fills Katsina pockets is a “road of prosperity”.
Mr. Governor, Hon. Commissioner of Works, Hon. Members Katsina House of Assembly: We beg you. Next budget, pass KATSINA LOCAL CONTENT LAW FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
Let our roads build Katsina people, not just connect Katsina places.
If you agree, SHARE this post. Tag your Rep, Councilor, Commissioner. Let them see it.
Because silence = ₦600 billion lost again in next 3 years.
This is my intellectual opinion i stand to be corrected if am wrong .
#KatsinaFirst #RoadsAndWealth #LocalContentNow #₦600BillionLost.
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