Minister: Lagos-Calabar Highway On Track Despite 400km East-West Road Integration

By Aminat Adebiyi, Assistant Editor

Minister of Works David Umahi has dismissed rumors that the Federal Government has suspended the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in favor of the East-West Road.

Following a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, Umahi assured reporters that the project’s primary alignment is untouched and active development is progressing steadily

He explained that integrating an additional 400 kilometres of the East-West Road into the Federal Government’s infrastructure development programme was a complementary initiative, not a replacement for any section of the coastal highway.

“It was claimed we abandoned the alignment of 750 kilometres of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in favour of an alignment of the East-West Road. That is very mischievous information.

“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is moving and moving even faster than envisaged,” Umahi said.

According to him, Section One, covering 47.7 kilometres in Lagos State, had been fully constructed, while Section Two, spanning 55 kilometres, was expected to be ready by the middle of November.

He added that work was progressing on Sections 3A and 3B, covering 75 kilometres across Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, with construction exceeding 40 per cent completion.

According to him, Sections 4A and 4B, covering approximately 65 kilometres between Ogun and Ondo states, are also under construction, while the alignment from the Lagos end has advanced into Ondo State.

Umahi said construction activities were progressing from the Calabar end of the highway, in line with President Tinubu’s directive that work on the administration’s four legacy road projects should commence simultaneously from both ends.

He said another section of the coastal highway in Akwa Ibom State, measuring 62.5 kilometres, had already achieved more than 20 per cent completion despite construction having commenced less than three months ago.

The minister explained that the decision to incorporate the East-West Road into the broader development plan was informed by the need to improve regional connectivity, protect existing infrastructure against flooding, and enhance the investment potential of the Niger Delta.

“What we have done is to also seek for the approval of Mr President to also add the 400 kilometres of East-West Road, starting from Edo State down to Akwa Ibom, and also to Cross River,” he said.

He noted that although portions of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway had already been procured in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, the existing East-West Road extended beyond those sections, making its integration necessary for comprehensive regional development.

Umahi expressed concern over the vulnerability of portions of the East-West Road to flooding, explaining that some sections were constructed below flood levels.

He recalled that about three weeks ago, sections of the road around Agbarho in the Ughelli axis of Delta State suffered serious damage, requiring the intervention of the state government.

He said similar challenges had been experienced in Edo State, reinforcing the need for a comprehensive intervention along the 400-kilometre corridor.

The minister stressed that the proposed intervention on the East-West Road would not interfere with the original coastal highway alignment, noting that survey and engineering activities were ongoing in states yet to be covered by major construction.

“So, nobody has abandoned the 750 kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. In fact, as we are talking now, we have surveyors; we are surveying the axis of Edo State, we are surveying the axis of Delta State, we are surveying the axis of Bayelsa, and then Rivers, and that will be the end of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway,” he said.

Umahi also said President Tinubu approved an expansion of another legacy road project connecting Akwanga, Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Biu, and Maiduguri.

According to him, the original 700-kilometre project has been expanded with an additional 410 kilometres through Langtang and Wukari, bringing the total planned length to approximately 1,100 kilometres.

He explained that the expansion followed the administration’s strategy of extending major highway corridors to improve connectivity between communities and stimulate economic activities across the country.

The minister maintained that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway remained a central component of the administration’s infrastructure development agenda and that neither the proposed East-West Road intervention nor any other complementary road project could alter its approved alignment.

“So, the 750-kilometre Coastal Highway is intact and cannot be changed, and nobody has the power to change it, because it’s already designed and it’s ongoing,” Umahi stated.