Construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is steadily progressing across several states, according to Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi. He confirmed ongoing work on sections one and two from Lagos to the Ogun-Ondo border, as well as sections 3A and 3B located in Akwa Ibom and Calabar.
Speaking during the commissioning of a completed 30km stretch by President Bola Tinubu, Umahi highlighted the highway’s design. It features a six-lane layout within a 60-metre corridor. The structure includes flyovers, drainage systems, pedestrian walkways, solar-powered streetlights, and provisions for 25-metre-wide railway tracks. The road features a 275 mm-thick, continuously reinforced concrete pavement for enhanced durability.
Umahi described the highway as a game-changer, promising thousands of jobs during and after construction. He said the road will boost trade, especially for over 30 million people who will benefit from better access to production and distribution hubs.
The highway is also expected to unlock Nigeria’s maritime potential by connecting previously underused coastal routes. This opens the door for developing shipyards, cruise terminals, and export zones across coastal states. Umahi stressed that the project would encourage investment in tourism, improve shoreline protection, and promote eco-friendly travel.
He added that security across the region will improve due to better road access, which supports faster emergency response and surveillance. As the highway stretches through nine states—including Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River—it is set to connect rural areas with urban centres, making transportation more efficient and boosting local economies.
According to Umahi, each section will be completed and opened in phases, with tolling systems planned to recover project costs. The government sees the highway as a long-term asset that will enhance economic development, security, tourism, and environmental sustainability.
