Nigeria aims to finish Lagos‑Calabar Coastal Highway by 2029 as design and funding issues surface

The federal Ministry of Works announced that the 750‑kilometre Lagos‑Calabar Coastal Highway is expected to be finished within three years, putting the likely completion date around 2029, before President Bola Tinubu’s second term ends in 2031. The projection was made by Minister of Works David Umahi during a lengthy interview on Arise Television on 23 October 2026. Umahi linked the timeline to his confidence in the current administration and said the government is working “by God’s special grace” to meet the target.

Construction of the coastal highway began in March 2024, but the minister disclosed that the project does not have a single, unified engineering design covering the entire route. Instead, each segment is being designed and costed after environmental assessments and soil investigations determine the specific technical requirements. The approach, mandated by a Federal Executive Council procurement decision, calls for direct procurement of individual sections without public bidding, a process Umahi defended as lawful.

Background

The Lagos‑Calabar Coastal Highway has been promoted as a flagship infrastructure initiative intended to link coastal communities along Nigeria’s southern corridor. The concept dates back to 1955 and was formally gazetted in 2006. Since taking office, the Ministry of Works reports that about 17,000 kilometres of federal roads are under construction or reconstruction, with roughly 1,700 kilometres completed since the current administration began, alongside more than six kilometres of flyovers, bridges and underpasses.

Umahi highlighted that the first section of the highway, spanning 47.47 kilometres, carries a price tag of N1.067 trillion, which translates to roughly N7.5 billion (about $5.5 million) per kilometre. He explained that the high unit cost reflects extensive works such as concrete pavement designed for a century of service, shoreline protection, retaining walls, solar lighting, flyovers, underpasses and deep sand filling of up to 20 metres in some locations. The minister contrasted this figure with an earlier estimate of N4 billion per kilometre cited in April 2024, noting that terrain and engineering demands differ across sections.

The project’s procurement was carried out without a public tender, a decision Umahi said complies with the law. He also rejected claims that the highway’s cost could be derived by multiplying an average per‑kilometre figure across the full 750 kilometres, arguing that each segment’s terrain, bridge requirements and other factors vary significantly. Critics have pointed to a circulating N15 trillion cost estimate, which Umahi dismissed, stating that no one has the authority to apply a blanket average cost.

Why it matters

The highway is positioned to improve transportation, stimulate trade and foster economic integration across the southern states, from Lagos through Ondo, Edo, Delta and Cross River to Calabar. Motorists currently endure deteriorating federal roads, and the new coastal corridor promises a more reliable route for goods and passengers.

Political continuity is presented as essential for the project’s full delivery. Umahi warned that if President Tinubu does not secure a second term in the 2027 election, the highway could be abandoned, describing it as a personal initiative of the president that requires sustained support. He also noted that the president has approved an additional 400 kilometres of the East‑West Road to be reconstructed alongside the coastal highway, directing the alignment to follow the existing East‑West corridor rather than opening new routes. Difficult terrain in Ondo State, where construction pits exceed 100 metres in depth and suitable sand is scarce, has prompted this alignment decision.

The minister also addressed accusations of land grabbing raised by former Cross River governor Donald Duke. Umahi asserted that no land has been seized for the project and framed the criticism as politically motivated, emphasizing that the highway benefits the Niger Delta and broader national interests.

What happens next

Umahi indicated that by November 2026 motorists should be able to travel from Lagos’s Ahmadu Bello Way through the first, second and part of the fourth sections into Ondo State, suggesting that early segments are nearing operational status. However, he did not provide a detailed timetable for the remaining sections, nor did he specify exact dates for the completion of each segment. The Ministry of Works continues to procure and design the highway on a section‑by‑section basis, with ongoing environmental and sub‑soil assessments guiding the rollout. The project’s ultimate fate will depend on the outcome of the 2027 presidential election and the government’s ability to maintain funding and political support for the remaining works.