Senator David Umahi, Nigeria’s Minister of Works, has provided an update on the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, stating that the project is expected to be fully completed by January 2026.
During a recent site inspection, Umahi met with financial backers including the Dutch Bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa to review the project’s status.
Umahi said, “I assure you that by January next year, God willing, we will have this road completed,” underscoring the government’s commitment to delivering this major infrastructure on schedule.
He praised the contractor, Hitech Construction Company, for their quality work, noting the road’s concrete thickness exceeds design specifications. “The concrete thickness is designed for 275 millimetres, but what they are doing is 280 millimetres,” he stated.
The minister also highlighted the importance of proper highway design to prevent traffic congestion. He warned about the risks of motorists accessing the highway from their homes and stressed the need for barriers and controlled entry points such as flyovers and interchanges.
The highway, which will link Lagos to Cross River through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states, is being constructed at an estimated cost of N15 trillion.
The first 47 kilometers are scheduled for completion and commissioning by May 2025, with tolling planned to recover construction costs over five to ten years.
