Nigeria's highway network plays a crucial role in the country's economy, connecting major cities, ports, and commercial hubs, and enabling the smooth transportation of goods and services. Despite having the largest road network in West Africa, the condition of Nigerian roads falls short of expectations, making highways the backbone of businesses in the country.

The lack of a reliable rail system in Nigeria has led to a heavy reliance on highways, which are more expensive, to transport goods and services across the country. According to a recent survey by SBM Intelligence, the strategic design of Nigeria's highway network promotes economic integration between the Northern and Southern regions, facilitating the movement of goods and people between the two regions.

The survey, which engaged 245 drivers across eight major commercial hubs, highlighted the need for improved road maintenance. The table below reveals Nigeria's most economically important highways according to the survey:

Rank Route 1 Lagos-Ibadan 2 Lagos-Onitsha 3 Kano-Maiduguri 4 Jos-Maiduguri 5 Lagos-Abuja 6 Onitsha-Owerri 7 Jos-Kano 8 Calabar-PH 9 PH-Warri 10 Jos-Abuja

Interestingly, the survey noted that Nigeria's highway network is deliberately designed to connect the southern coastal areas, with their major seaports, to the northern hinterlands, with their vast farmlands. This layout facilitates the movement of agricultural produce from the north to the ports and wealthier southern states, promoting economic integration between the historically distinct Northern and Southern regions.

In contrast to Nigeria, Egypt boasts a more comprehensive railway network, spanning 6,700 km, despite having a slightly larger landmass (1,001,450 km²) and a significantly smaller population (107.8 million). As of 2024, Nigeria's railway network consists of 3,505 km of colonial-era narrow-gauge tracks and 669 km of modern standard-gauge tracks, serving a population of approximately 250 million people across a landmass of 923,770 km².

The poor condition of Nigerian roads has severely impacted the transportation of goods and services, placing significant strain on key Nigerian industries such as petroleum and agriculture, which rely heavily on haulage to move products across the country. The need for improved road maintenance is crucial to support the country's economy and foster economic growth.

In conclusion, Nigeria's highway network plays a vital role in the country's economy, and its strategic design promotes economic integration between the Northern and Southern regions. However, the poor condition of Nigerian roads is a major challenge that needs to be addressed to support the country's economy and foster economic growth.