The first phase of the Chinese-built Keffi Road, which serves the Nigerian capital Abuja, became the first federal highway in the country to start charging vehicle tolls, following a launch ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday.
When complete, the Keffi Road, being built to Chinese standards by Chinese company China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC), will connect the capital Abuja and the town of Makurdi, some 227 kilometers to the southeast.
Nigerian Minister of State for Works, Mohammad Bello Goronyo, and other government officials attended the launch ceremony and thanked the Chinese contractor, saying they expect phase one of the Keffi Road project to usher in a new chapter of development for Nigeria's transportation network.
CHEC will be responsible for the toll operations and the maintenance of the road for 25 years, with collected tolls to be used for road maintenance, security and vehicle rescue services.
CHEC has begun building the second phase of the Keffi Road project, with completion scheduled by 2028.
Chinese-built Keffi Road in Nigeria starts collecting tolls
A special sports program produced by the China Media Group (CMG) completed filming at the National Aquatics center in Beijing on Monday, with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry sending a video message to congratulate the successful production of the program.
In the video message, Coventry said that Chinese athletes have inspired the world with their passion and outstanding performances in 2025.
Looking ahead to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, Coventry wishes all Chinese athletes achieve success in their preparations.
Coventry also expressed her gratitude to CMG and the Chinese Olympic Committee for their efforts in promoting the Olympic spirit.
The special program summarizes and reviews the achievements and touching stories in China's sports field over the past year. It interprets the Chinese sports spirit through diverse forms such as interviews and performances.
There is also a segment in the program that highlights the sports development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The program is scheduled to be aired in January 2026.
IOC president congratulates CMG for completing filming of special sports program
