On Sunday in Lagos, President Bola Tinubu officially began the construction of the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. The groundbreaking ceremony took place at Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island. President Tinubu emphasized that this highway will transform transportation in Nigeria and strengthen the economic potential of each region it passes through.
The coastal highway will cover nine states along Nigeria’s shoreline and connect major highway corridors, linking the western, central, and eastern regions of the country. This ambitious project will start in Lagos and end in Cross River State, with an extension to the north-central part of Nigeria.
During the event, President Tinubu also initiated the virtual flag-off for the design and procurement of the 1,000-kilometer Sokoto-Badagry Highway, which will link Sokoto to Badagry in Lagos State, passing through several states including Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, and Oyo. Additionally, he commenced the design and procurement for the 461-kilometer Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Road, spanning Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa States, and ending in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The President’s visit to Lagos marks his administration’s first anniversary, during which he also announced the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 330 roads and bridges nationwide.
President Tinubu praised the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, for his dedication to the project, and acknowledged Hitech Construction Company’s leaders, Ambassador Gilbert Chagoury and Engr. Ronald Chagoury, for their commitment to Nigeria’s future. Tinubu highlighted the project’s significance, stating it will leave a lasting legacy and set a standard for world-class infrastructure in Nigeria.
The coastal highway is expected to create thousands of direct jobs and tens of thousands of indirect jobs. It will enhance economic opportunities for millions, facilitate the movement of people, and support the expansion of Nigeria’s maritime industry.
The President noted that sections of the project would start from Akwa Ibom and Cross River States and assured that due process was followed in awarding the contract. Engr. Umahi confirmed that over 40 new projects are underway across the country and that compensations for the Lagos-Calabar project up to kilometer six have been settled.
Community leaders, including the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Abdulwasiu Lawal, pledged their support and called for fair compensation for those affected by the construction.
Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara, and Hope Uzodinma of Imo expressed their support for the project, emphasizing its importance for Nigeria’s development.
