Minister of Works Dave Umahi has dismissed claims that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project may not extend beyond Epe in Lagos State, insisting that construction is already progressing across several states.
Umahi made the clarification while inspecting Section 4B of the highway project in Ondo State, according to a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze.
His remarks come in response to concerns earlier raised by former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, who questioned whether the ambitious road project would progress beyond Epe.
According to the minister, construction has already advanced beyond Lagos, with work actively ongoing in Ogun, Ondo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is already on. We have sailed past Lagos that my brother Donald Duke talked about,” Umahi said.
He disclosed that the project currently covers 28 kilometres of dual carriageway in Ogun State, 52 kilometres in Ondo State, 27 kilometres in Cross River, and about 47 kilometres in Akwa Ibom, adding that work on some sections is already more than 60 per cent completed.
Umahi further revealed that construction has commenced on the project’s longest stretch—a 180-kilometre dual carriageway in Akwa Ibom State.
The minister described the coastal highway as one of the flagship infrastructure projects under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying it would improve transportation, create jobs and stimulate economic growth across communities along the route.
“Roads mean employment. In this section alone, Hitech has employed over 1,000 people. Direct and indirect jobs are springing up. Anywhere we are working, you will see security presence. We also have local vigilantes working with them. It is opening up commerce, agriculture and education,” he stated.
Umahi also called on residents of the Niger Delta to support the project, arguing that it would bring long-term economic benefits to the region.
“It is up to Niger Delta people to speak up for this project. They should defend it. They should defend the President. They must vote for the President to complete it,” he said.
Addressing allegations that the highway’s alignment was altered to favour private estates, the minister explained that engineers abandoned the original coastal route because of technical and financial challenges.
According to him, the initial design would have required construction through deep soil deposits and the building of three bridges measuring about 3.5 kilometres each, making the project significantly more expensive.
“That option was not feasible. It would have been too expensive,” Umahi explained.
On funding, the minister maintained that the project remains transparent and financially viable.
He disclosed that Deutsche Bank, which is financing Section One of the highway, had praised both the design and construction quality, while noting that the loan facility had been oversubscribed by $100 million.
Umahi also commended Hitech Construction Company for the quality of work and its engagement with host communities, expressing confidence that the highway would be completed as promised.
“Under President Tinubu, this country will be rebuilt. The roads he is building now will last for the next 100 years without reconstruction,” he said.
The minister concluded by encouraging Nigerians to continue offering constructive criticism, assuring that the Federal Government remains open to suggestions that will improve governance and project delivery.
