Controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Officially Renamed After President Tinubu
Nigeria's Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced the renaming of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway after President Bola Tinubu, recognizing his long-standing vision. The President also approved major infrastructure expansions, including an additional 400 kilometers to the Fourth Legacy Highway and the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with reinforced concrete pavement for enhanced durability, alongside other critical road and bridge projects across the nation.
The Nigerian Ministry of Works, led by Minister Dave Umahi, has officially named the much-discussed Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway the "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway." This decision, announced during a media briefing in Abuja, acknowledges President Tinubu's long-standing vision for the landmark project, a dream he first conceived more than two decades ago while serving as governor of Lagos State. Minister Umahi emphasized that the naming was a recognition of Tinubu’s foresight and the grace of God in actualizing that dream.
Work on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is progressing, with the first section, spanning 47.47 kilometers from Victoria Island to Lekki, designed as a six-lane carriageway with a 25-meter median reserved for a future railway line, described as a "beauty to behold." The second section, extending from Eleko to the Lagos-Ogun boundary, is approximately 60 percent complete and is slated for substantial delivery by November. Construction efforts are also underway in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, and Ondo states, indicating broad progress across the project.
In further infrastructure developments, President Tinubu has approved an additional 400-kilometre extension to the country’s Fourth Legacy Highway. This superhighway, initially a 700-kilometre corridor linking Akwanga in Nasarawa State to Maiduguri in Borno State through Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, and Biu, will now extend into Taraba State, increasing its total length to an unprecedented 1,100 kilometres. This expansion is expected to significantly strengthen connectivity across Nigeria's North-central and North-east regions, simultaneously opening up new economic opportunities.
Another critical approval concerns the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The President has sanctioned the use of reinforced concrete pavement for this vital highway, following repeated failures of the existing asphalt pavement within just five years of its initial completion. Minister Umahi highlighted that reinforced concrete technology offers a more durable solution, promising a lifespan of 50 to 100 years with minimal maintenance, addressing the persistent issues faced by the 135-kilometre dual carriageway.
Additionally, several other key projects received presidential assent. These include the dualization of an additional 400 kilometres of the East-West Road, connecting Lokoja down to Benin. In Taraba State, approval was granted for the design, procurement, and award of the 5.76-kilometre Lao Bridge project, as well as the review and completion of the Ibi Bridge, which was awarded in 2018 but abandoned after reaching approximately 40 percent completion. These approvals collectively underscore the federal government’s renewed commitment to its infrastructure renewal program.