The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has commenced nationwide rehabilitation works under its Operation Connect to Your Destination (OCYD) 3.0 initiative to improve safety and ease travel on major highways during the yuletide.
Speaking during the flag-off of the exercise on the 36-kilometre Ekparakwa–Azumini–Iwukem road in Akwa Ibom State, FERMA Managing Director, Chukwuemeka Agbasi, said the programme was introduced to reduce recurring travel risks often recorded during the festive season, particularly on busy road corridors.
Agbasi said the agency is carrying out extensive maintenance activities including pothole patching, repairs of failed sections, and asphaltic overlays.
The intervention covers 39 major corridors across the federation, with teams mobilised in all 36 states.
According to him, a total of 10,683 square metres of potholes will be patched, 7,392 square metres of failed road sections restored, and 881 square metres of asphaltic overlay completed.
The effort is expected to return 85.9 kilometres of roadway to motorable condition nationwide and create 1,722 jobs in the process.
He added that the operation aligns with the federal mandate to maintain and keep all federal roads in serviceable condition, noting that Nigeria’s 36,000-kilometre federal network remains the country’s most frequently used transport system.
Agbasi said the initiative also reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises infrastructure rehabilitation, economic expansion, and improved mobility.
“By making federal highways safer and more motorable, FERMA is directly contributing to the administration’s vision of a more connected and economically vibrant Nigeria,” he said.
He explained that OCYD 3.0 is designed to guarantee smooth and safe movement for millions of people expected to travel during the festive season.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that failures, potholes, and distressed sections are remedied promptly.
This programme helps us deliver that mandate in a targeted and effective manner,” he added.