Civil society groups, opposition party figures and economic experts have applauded the Federal Government for the quality of work on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and for President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure and economic growth.
They spoke in Lagos after a tour of the project, describing it as a landmark initiative that transcends politics and promises huge benefits for the economy.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the first section of the 750-kilometre project – from Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, to Eleko, Lagos – would be completed by May 2026.
He noted that 35km had already been delivered by the contractor, Hi-Tech, leaving 12km to finish Section 1.
A policy expert and PDP chieftain, Otunba Segun Showunmi, urged Nigerians to build consensus on national development.
“You cannot develop a nation without a long-term plan. You cannot sustain a long-term plan in a multi-party democracy unless you’re able to build consensus around development,” he said.
“What I have seen so far today is commendable, I must tell you… A nation at 65 must be in a hurry to link its infrastructure to model after other globally competitive economies.”
Chairman of Proshare Group, Olufemi Awoyemi, described the highway as a “test case for big infrastructure projects and their financing.”
“This is an alternative, providing a primary route for cross-country connectivity, away from the current congestion, and a test case for big infrastructure projects and their financing,” he said.
One of the civil society leaders on the tour, Declan Ihekaire, also lauded the quality of work.
“We, as CSOs, must not condemn everytime. When we see where they are getting it right, we should talk so that we encourage them. Ultimately, the beneficiaries of good initiatives are the people,” he said.
Umahi explained that the first section of the project covers 47km, with work on the second section already underway from Eleko, Lagos, to Ode-Omi, Ogun State.
He disclosed that the ministry had safeguarded properties, cleared deep refuse and aligned the road’s concrete foundation, stressing the durability of concrete-based highways.
The minister also revealed plans to involve the EFCC and DSS in probing allegations of $200m diaspora investments tied to the WinHomes estate project.
He promised regular updates to the media on progress and highlighted other legacy road projects, including the 477km Trans-Saharan Highway, the 422km Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Expressway and the 1,068km Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has this knowledge; he has demonstrated it when he was Governor of Lagos State and you can see that Lagos State is an economy within an economy,” Umahi added.