The Federal Government of Nigeria has warned that Section One of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway could be shut to traffic if motorists continue to flout traffic rules and put lives at risk.
Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, issued the warning in Lagos while presenting suspected vandals arrested for removing cat’s-eye reflective lights on the Third Mainland Bridge.
Okay News reports that Section One of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was temporarily opened during the Christmas season to ease traffic pressure and improve commuter movement while construction work continues on the multibillion-naira coastal road project.
According to Umahi, the temporary opening, intended as a relief measure, has been undermined by reckless behaviour from road users, including driving against traffic flow and dangerous speeding.
“You will recall what happened during the Christmas period when motorists drove against traffic.
“We recorded one death and experienced serious traffic congestion due to indiscipline,” the minister said.
He explained that what was designed to reduce congestion instead became a major safety concern, stressing that both government leadership and citizens share responsibility for national development and public safety.
Umahi disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Works had initially considered shutting the section in December, but President Bola Tinubu directed that the road remain open to support economic activities and holiday travel.
However, the minister said conditions have worsened following a recent fatal incident involving a construction worker.
According to him, a speeding vehicle left the carriageway, knocked down two concrete solar poles, and struck a contractor’s worker who was operating on the shoulder of the road, killing him instantly.
The worker, Umahi noted, was not working on the main road, raising serious concerns about driver conduct and safety enforcement around the construction zone.
The minister said he was engaging with the contractor to review safety measures, warning that construction activities could be suspended entirely if workers’ lives cannot be adequately protected.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Works would collaborate with the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, and security agencies to deploy personnel to manage traffic and secure the construction corridor.
Umahi issued a final warning that if wrong-way driving and excessive speeding continue for another week, the Federal Government would have no alternative but to close Section One of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway until construction is completed.
“The choice is for all of us to make,” he said.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of Nigeria’s flagship infrastructure projects, designed to improve connectivity along the southern coastline and boost economic growth, but authorities say public cooperation remains critical to its successful delivery.
