Umahi clarifies work done, completion time for Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has clarified the progress and projected completion timeline for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project. Contrary to earlier reports suggesting that the entire highway is 70% complete, Umahi specified that this figure pertains solely to Section One of the project, which spans 47.47 kilometers.

During a recent inspection tour, Umahi stated, "Some of you reported that I said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was 70 per cent done and will be finished by January 2026. That is not what I said. We were dealing with section one, and then, we said, as of today, that section one, which is 47.47km, has been 70 per cent completed."

He further noted that Section One is scheduled for completion by January 2026. Additionally, Umahi mentioned that the entire coastal highway will be tolled upon completion.

In a related development, the minister inspected five bridges along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and identified issues with headroom clearance. He observed that while some bridges met the standard headroom of 5.6 meters, others fell short, with the lowest at 5.4 meters. To address this, Umahi directed that the carriageways be lowered by up to one meter to achieve a minimum headroom of 6.5 meters. He also ordered the closure of the Alapako Bridge in Ogun State due to compromised beams caused by vehicular impacts.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a significant infrastructure project aimed at enhancing connectivity between Nigeria's western and southeastern regions. The first phase of the highway, which began in March 2024, is expected to be completed in eight years and will cost approximately N4 billion per kilometer.

Umahi's clarifications aim to provide accurate information on the project's status and address any misconceptions regarding its progress and completion timeline.