FG opens Lagos–Calabar Highway to ease yuletide travel

By : Bertram Nwannekanma, Opeyemi Babalola

Date: 12 December 2025 2:54pm WAT

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Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi

The Federal Government on Friday temporarily opened Section One of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, allowing motorists to access the road from Ahmadu Bello Junction to Eleko Village Junction for the festive season.

The 47.474km section was awarded to Hitech Construction Limited at a total cost of ₦1,067,887,381,148.61.

The project includes the construction of a rigid-pavement dual-carriage highway, complete with drainage systems, culverts, median barriers, street lighting, and the relocation of public utilities such as electric cables, poles, cable ducts, and gas and water pipelines.

The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is an interstate project expected to traverse nine states along Nigeria’s coastal shoreline.

Beginning in Lagos and terminating in Cross River State, the route will pass through Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states, with a spur extending into the North-Central region. The full length of the highway is projected at 750km.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Lagos, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, described the project as the fulfilment of a 27-year dream, praising President Bola Tinubu for his vision in actualising major national infrastructure projects.

Umahi recalled that although the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway was conceptualised decades ago, President Tinubu had begun bringing it to life through the completion of the first 47km.

He added that the total stretch of Section One is expected to be completed before the end of the second quarter of 2026.

He noted that the highway, one of the administration’s four major legacy projects, is designed to boost economic activities across the coastal region, improve interstate connectivity, and enhance security and travel efficiency.

Reiterating the President’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s critical infrastructure, Umahi said the other legacy projects will link the South-South, South-West, North-West, North-Central, and South-East zones, thereby strengthening trade, tourism, and regional integration.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Rafiu Adeladan, said the commissioned phase is a significant portion of the coastal highway aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential and modernising key transportation corridors.

“The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is without a doubt one of the most ambitious and economically strategic road projects ever undertaken in the history of this country,” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to the minister for his leadership and commitment to the stringent quality control protocols deployed for the project.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Oshiyemi, described the highway as a “game-changer” for Nigeria, citing its potential to boost trade, tourism, and regional connectivity.

He emphasised that the project is expected to generate millions of jobs, reduce travel time, and stimulate economic growth by linking rural communities to urban markets and major economic hubs.

“With improved connectivity and reduced travel time, businesses will be able to operate more efficiently, and people will have more time to focus on their work,” he said.

“This will lead to increased productivity and economic growth. For example, the typical journey from Lagos to Calabar is 15 hours, but when this road is completed, the journey will be drastically reduced to six or seven hours.

“When completed, this highway has the potential to increase Nigeria’s GDP, trigger industrialisation, create trade opportunities, and enhance the transportation of goods and services,” he added.

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