Umahi Says Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Route Remains Unchanged, East-West Road Added
The Federal Government has maintained that the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has not been rerouted or reduced, with Works Minister David Umahi saying the project is instead being expanded through the reconstruction of about 400 kilometres of the flood-damaged East-West Road.
Umahi’s clarification comes amid recent controversy over reports that parts of the coastal highway had been diverted because of difficult terrain and construction costs.
According to the minister, the original coastal highway alignment remains intact. The additional roadwork is being incorporated into the wider project to address flooding and climate-related damage along the East-West corridor.
No change to 750km coastal highway
Umahi rejected claims that the Federal Government had altered the core Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He said the original 750km route remains as planned, while the government has added the reconstruction of the East-West Road to the overall infrastructure programme.
The decision follows a directive by President Bola Tinubu to reconstruct the entire East-West Road, parts of which have suffered serious damage or submergence from flooding.
The government says bringing the reconstruction into the coastal highway initiative will help strengthen connectivity while addressing infrastructure vulnerabilities caused by flooding and other climate-related impacts.
Work underway across several states
Construction is already progressing on sections of the coastal highway in Ogun, Ondo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, according to the minister.
Meanwhile, design and surveying activities are continuing on sections passing through Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states.
The different stages of work mean that construction activity along the 750km corridor is at varying levels, with some sections already under construction and others still undergoing technical preparation.
East-West Road reconstruction expands project scope
The addition of the East-West Road represents a significant expansion of the overall infrastructure programme.
The roughly 400km reconstruction is aimed at restoring sections affected by flooding while creating a stronger road connection across the Niger Delta.
For communities and businesses in the region, the condition of the East-West Road is particularly important because the corridor serves as a major link for the movement of people and goods.
The government’s position is that the additional work should not be interpreted as a replacement for the original coastal highway. Rather, it is being integrated into the broader project as an infrastructure response to existing road damage and climate-related risks.
Umahi speaks during Niger road project flag-off
Umahi made the clarification while speaking at the flag-off of the separate 376km Lambata-Bida-Mokwa-Makera-Kontagora Highway in Niger State.
The highway has an estimated value of ₦1.5 trillion and forms part of the Federal Government’s wider road infrastructure programme.
The minister used the occasion to emphasise that major road projects under the administration were progressing, while responding to concerns surrounding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The Federal Government’s immediate task is to continue construction on active sections of the coastal highway while completing design and surveying work in the states where construction has not yet begun.
At the same time, the planned reconstruction of the flood-damaged East-West Road will add a substantial new component to the overall infrastructure programme.
For communities across Nigeria’s southern corridor, the significance of the clarification goes beyond the controversy over the route. The real test will be whether the combined investment delivers durable roads, better flood resilience and more reliable movement of people and goods across the region.
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