By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
After decades of isolation defined by river crossings, six-hour journeys for 15 kilometres and a lingering political promise dating back to 1961, the Federal Government has moved heavy equipment onto the Mambila Plateau, turning one of Nigeria’s most neglected highlands into a strategic construction corridor.
The Federal Ministry of Works, concluding its North-East national media tour in Taraba State, inspected ongoing reconstruction of the Bali–Serti–Gashaka–Gembu highway and the cross-border Gembu–Mbamnga–Yang (Lip) road projects authorities say will permanently reconnect the plateau to Nigeria’s economic grid and neighbouring Cameroon.
For residents of Mbamnga and surrounding communities in Sardauna Local Government Area, the project carries political and historical weight beyond infrastructure.
During the 1961 United Nations plebiscite that integrated the Northern Cameroons into Nigeria, local communities reportedly demanded road access as a condition for joining the federation.
The promise lingered for over six decades until now.
Standing beside newly completed bridge sections, the Mbondua of Mbamnga Chiefdom, Alhaji Sale Mbondu, described the construction as the first tangible federal presence in generations.
“Barely 15 kilometres used to take six hours. We crossed rivers by canoe. Now that suffering is ending we finally feel part of Nigeria,” the monarch said.
He added the road has already begun improving trade, mobility, healthcare access and tourism prospects across the plateau.
Federal Controller of Works in Taraba State, Engr. Ibrahim Usman, said the Gembu–Mbamnga–Yang corridor, a key route to the Cameroon border commenced January 13, 2025 and is scheduled for completion July 12, 2027.
The project is being constructed with Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP), a long-life road technology rarely used in remote Nigerian terrains.
As of January 2026, progress stands at 20.76 percent, with major components between 25 and 30 percent complete. One bridge has been finished while another remains under construction.
Contractors acknowledged severe weather challenges, noting the plateau experiences double annual rainfall peaks that slow earthworks but insisted quality standards would not be compromised.
Local authorities described the project as transformative for economic life across the mountainous region.
The second major corridor the 235-kilometre Bali–Serti–Gashaka–Gembu road is being rehabilitated across valleys and escarpments linking Taraba to Cameroon and the wider North-East.
Funded under the NNPCL Tax Credit Scheme but now continuing under revised financing arrangements, engineers have already:
Asphalted significant lowland sections
Laid 12 km of wearing course and 18 km binder course
Constructed over 4 km asphalt shoulders
Installed retaining walls and slope protection against landslides
Project manaygers said stabilisation works are critical due to rockfalls common along the mountainous alignment.
Upon completion, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time, lower vehicle operating costs and open agricultural supply routes.
The Ministry also commissioned emergency repairs on failed sections of the Jalingo–Mutum Biyu–Tella–Wukari road, a key transport link connecting the North-East to the North-Central and southern regions via Makurdi and the Federal Capital Territory.
The intervention targeted flood-damaged segments responsible for accidents and heavy vehicle losses.
Officials said the repair will significantly cut transport costs and improve safety along one of Taraba’s busiest agricultural trade routes.
Collectively, the projects aim to convert the Mambila Plateau from a geographic outlier into a logistics corridor linking Nigeria to Central Africa.
For policymakers, the symbolism is as important as the asphalt: an infrastructure gap dating back to Nigeria’s territorial formation is finally closing.
For residents, the impact is simpler markets reachable, hospitals accessible and a journey that once consumed a day reduced to hours.
After 64 years, the federation’s most remote promise is beginning to look drivable.
