Since taking office in November 2024, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has centered his administration around a 5-point agenda known as Project SHINE (Security, Health, Infrastructure, Nutrition/Agriculture, and Education). Moving away from purely digital or policy-heavy governance, his approach relies heavily on direct infrastructure delivery, turning the state into an active construction hub.
His major projects span across the three senatorial districts:
1. Urban Roads, Flyovers & Transport
To curb Benin City’s notorious traffic gridlocks and repair heavily degraded networks, several major road and flyover projects are currently underway:
The Flyovers: Construction is actively progressing on the Ramat Park Flyover, the Adesuwa Junction Flyover (Sapele Road), and the Ikpoba Hill Flyover. These are designed to drastically ease transit times through major city choke points.
Arterial & Community Roads: Massive reconstruction and rehabilitation are ongoing across multiple corridors, including:
The 14-kilometer road and concrete drainage network covering Ogheghe, Old Sapele Road, and Ekae Road.
The Evbhukhu–Amagba–Obagie Road network.
Ekiuwa–University of Benin Road, Oba Erediauwa Road, Temboga Road, and Uteh Palace Road.
The Ekpoma–Uromi–Ubiaja and Uromi–Onewa–Udomi road networks in Edo Central.
Edo City Transport Service (ECTS): The state-owned transport system was resuscitated with a new fleet of 100 brand-new Hiace buses to provide affordable public commuting.
2. Flood & Erosion Control
Addressing severe flooding has been treated as a critical structural priority rather than a seasonal fix:
Okpagha-Amufi Project: A highly symbolic intervention combining massive drainage expansion, water retention infrastructure, and erosion control measures to rescue long-neglected communities from seasonal flooding.
Ikpoba River Stormwater Project: An extensive, heavy-engineering stormwater drainage network designed to channel massive volumes of floodwater away from densely populated residential areas directly into the Ikpoba River.
3. Energy & Industrial Parks
Udomi Injection Sub-station: The administration completed and commissioned a 2.5MVA injection sub-station in Udomi (Esan Central LGA), stepping down 33KV lines to 11KV to bring stable electricity to a cluster of six rural communities.
Taihu Industrial Park: Ground has been broken on this new industrial park in Ologbo (Ikpoba-Okha LGA), aimed at boosting local manufacturing and localized job creation.
Energy Memorandums: The administration signed an MOU with the NNPC targeting a $300 million Condensate Refinery and a $500 million Hydropower Plant utilizing the Ikpoba and Ojirami dams, alongside modular 100MW power plant and LNG facility frameworks.
4. Healthcare, Markets & Public Infrastructure
Edo State Specialist Hospital, Udomi: Construction is underway on a new 150-bed specialist facility to improve regional healthcare access.
College of Nursing, Health Sciences and Technology: Following a newly passed bill, physical infrastructure development is ongoing for this institution in Udomi.
Public Health Interventions: Launched the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Live and Livelihoods Fund (LLF) support to the Malaria Elimination Project, providing free testing and treatment across state facilities.
Market Rebuilds: Following devastating fires, the administration stepped in to rebuild the POWA Market in Ekpoma and is nearing completion on over 450 shops at the Oba Market in Benin City.
5. Security & Education (The Foundation)
Security Mobility: To aggressively combat kidnapping and cultism, the administration procured and distributed several Toyota Hilux vehicles and 1,000 high-performance motorcycles specifically suited for rapid response in hard-to-reach, rugged terrains. This was backed by the passage of the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law.
Teacher Recruitment & School Fixes: Initiated the recruitment of 500 basic and post-basic teachers to bridge the state’s teaching deficit while simultaneously rolling out funding for dilapidated school structures.
Razak Zekeri, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Public Affairs
