By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Federal Government has officially renamed the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway, with the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, revealing that funding commitments for the project’s first two sections now exceed required financing by more than $100 million.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Umahi said the decision to rename the landmark highway followed consultations within the Ministry of Works, describing the project as one of President Bola Tinubu’s flagship legacy infrastructure initiatives.
The minister said the coastal highway was conceived more than 27 years ago by Tinubu during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State, adding that the project represents the fulfilment of a long-standing vision to transform Nigeria’s coastal transportation network.
Umahi disclosed that over 360 kilometres of the highway are currently under active construction across multiple sections.
He said Section One, spanning 47.47 kilometres from Victoria Island to the Lekki corridor, is progressing steadily, while Section Two, covering approximately 55 kilometres to the Lagos-Ogun boundary, has reached about 60 per cent completion and is expected to be substantially completed before the end of November.
According to him, Sections Three and Four in Cross River State have achieved about 30 per cent and 20 per cent completion respectively, while work is also advancing on Section Five, which stretches about 180 kilometres, despite contractors yet to receive mobilisation payments.
The minister revealed that 19 major bridges and flyovers are under construction within the first two sections, including specially designed structures around the Dangote Refinery corridor built to accommodate heavy industrial traffic.
Defending the controversial project against criticism, Umahi dismissed allegations that the highway has worsened flooding in parts of Lagos.
He said a recent joint inspection showed that the road is instead acting as a protective barrier against Atlantic Ocean surges, preventing seawater from encroaching into nearby communities.
According to him, residents on the southern side of the highway remain vulnerable because they are directly exposed to the Atlantic Ocean, not because of the road construction.
Umahi also defended the Federal Government’s decision to award the contract through a special procurement process rather than open competitive bidding.
He explained that the Public Procurement Act permits special procurement for projects requiring highly specialised technical expertise, arguing that Hitech Construction Company possessed the necessary experience following its work on the Eko Atlantic project.
He added that both the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council approved the procurement process in accordance with the law.
The minister further disclosed that international financial institutions assessed the project as commercially viable, noting that funding commitments already secured for Sections One and Two exceed the required financing by more than $100 million.
Beyond the coastal highway, Umahi announced fresh approvals for key road projects across the country, including the reconstruction of the Ado-Ekiti-Iyin-Aramoko-Itawure Road linking Ekiti and Osun states and the completion of the Ado-Ijan-Ilumoba-Ikole Road using reinforced concrete pavement.
He also said work is progressing on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway, with more than 80 per cent of the required funding already provided, while emergency rehabilitation continues on the Abuja-Lokoja Road.
According to the minister, the 260-kilometre Makurdi-9th Mile Road, valued at about $959 million, has surpassed 70 per cent completion.
Umahi said the ministry is recruiting young engineers from across Nigeria to participate in ongoing projects as part of efforts to strengthen local engineering capacity through technology transfer.
He added that climate-resilient infrastructure now forms a key component of the government’s road development strategy, with reinforced concrete pavements, improved drainage systems, irrigation facilities and renewable energy features being incorporated into new road designs.
The minister maintained that the Tinubu administration remains committed to delivering infrastructure capable of transforming Nigeria’s economy, insisting that the long-term impact of the projects would ultimately outweigh public criticism.