The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission has said toll charges on roads developed under the Highway Development and Management Initiative are determined by the quality of infrastructure and benefits provided to motorists.
The ICRC Director-General, Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, stated this in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Thursday.
Ewalefoh used the 227-kilometre Akwanga–Makurdi road corridor to explain the rationale behind the tolling structure, noting that the route has four toll plazas where motorists are charged as they travel.
According to him, the cost of using a tolled highway should not be considered in isolation but weighed against the expenses motorists previously incurred because of poor road conditions.
He listed lost working hours, vehicle damage and increased exposure to accidents among the costs associated with deteriorated roads.
The ICRC boss said feedback from motorists indicated that many road users were prepared to pay tolls when they could see tangible improvements in the quality and safety of the roads.
He added that some motorists had also expressed willingness to accept similar tolling arrangements on other major highways, provided the roads were upgraded to comparable standards.
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“That, to me, is the beauty of a well-structured PPP,” Ewalefoh said.
He explained that toll rates were carefully negotiated under the public-private partnership arrangements to ensure that charges remained reasonable for road users.
Ewalefoh further said part of the revenue generated from toll collections was specifically earmarked for road maintenance.
Under the concession agreements, he noted, the government would not incur additional maintenance expenses throughout the duration of the contracts.
He added that the arrangements also required potholes to be repaired within 48 hours, while major maintenance works would be funded under the concession framework.