The long-delayed Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway marked a significant milestone over the weekend with the temporary opening of Section 1, stretching from Ahmadu Bello Way Junction to Eleko Village in Lagos. The inauguration, conducted by Minister of Works Engr. David Umahi on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, highlights progress on one of the administration’s flagship infrastructure projects.

The highway, a proposed inter-state coastal corridor, is set to run through nine states—Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River—with a northern spur into the North-Central region. Upon completion, it is expected to span 258 kilometres, connecting Nigeria’s economic corridors from the Atlantic coast inland.

Within Lagos State, Section 1 covers 47.47 kilometres, featuring a six-lane dual carriageway with reinforced concrete pavement, street lighting, CCTV surveillance, rapid-response facilities, drainage systems, and landscaping. The contract for this section, awarded to Hi-Tech Construction Company Limited, is valued at N1.067 trillion.

Work is progressing simultaneously on multiple sections outside Lagos, including Ogun, Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states, with temporary openings and earthworks already underway on over 60 kilometres of the route. The project incorporates public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives, including a proposed 3.5-kilometre tunnel connecting island communities.

Umahi described the highway as part of a broader network of four “legacy projects”, designed to create continuous trade and logistics corridors across Nigeria. He stressed that the projects are being delivered with full transparency, with anti-corruption agencies invited to inspect costs and contracts.

The Lagos State Government, represented by Commissioner for Transportation Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the highway will reduce travel time from up to 15 hours to just a few hours, enhance regional trade, boost industrialisation, and create a more efficient transport environment for businesses and commuters.

Once fully completed, the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is expected to lower logistics costs, stimulate coastal tourism and industrial growth, and strengthen connectivity between key commercial hubs, offering a major boost to Nigeria’s economic productivity.