The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other legacy projects throughout the nation have been credited by His Excellency, Engineer (Sen.) David Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, Minister of Works, as catalysts for the nation’s economic liberation. He confirmed this while on an inspection tour of the highway’s ongoing Phase I, Sections I and II construction in Lagos.

“The project, which will span nine states along Nigeria’s coastline, is an investment in our collective future,” he said.

The Minister claims that the Coastal Highway will include wind turbines along its path to produce clean energy, earning Nigeria a carbon credit and elevating the nation to the status of an environmentally conscious country. According to him, there will be train service between the entire alignment, solar lights, and windmill energy for the benefit of the nearby communities. These features will encourage numerous socioeconomic investments along coastal corridors. Aside from the train tracks, he continued, the legacy projects that will cross the northern regions of the nation will also include dams for agricultural irrigation and electricity generation along their corridors.

The contractor, Hitech Africa Construction Limited, received praise from Engineer Umahi for showcasing its technical expertise. He also gave them high marks for the project’s speed, variety of equipment, quality, and—most importantly—the company’s preparedness and commitment to meeting deadlines and standards.

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr. Olukorede Kesha, gave the Minister and his team information about the Lagos State portion of the Coastal Highway. He stated that the project begins at the Ahmadu Bello Way Junction on Victoria Island and ends at the coastal town of Calabar in Cross River State, with a spur to Abakaliki in Ebonyi State. The project’s total length is approximately 750 km. Continuous reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) is being used for the entire alignment. The section that is located within Lagos State is 103 kilometers long, she continued. She claims that a phased execution was chosen for construction ease.

Along with other minor complaints that the contractor encountered while performing the job, the Controller also revealed that compensation payments for properties on the Right of Way (RoW) are still being made. The Lekki Free Zone, which is 55.77 kilometers long and part of Phase I, Section II, presents another significant obstacle in addition to the payment of compensation on properties. The contractor committed to completing this road segment by May 2025.

In order to give the contractors unrestricted access to build the road, the Minister took the time to resolve the dispute between the Lekki Free Trade and the Lagos Free Trade Zones.

The Lekki and Lagos Free Zone Companies asked for compensation for their properties that will be impacted by the ongoing construction, more flyovers, water discharge points, solar lights, and much more, the Minister said in an interview with reporters. Since they would receive payment for the impacted properties, these requests were granted. However, they were advised to incorporate two (2) more interchanges into the original design and to use one of the Federal Government’s water discharge points into the lagoon, with solar lights to be installed.

The Minister was praised by the management of the Lekki and Lagos Free Trade Zone Companies for calling the meeting and tackling the local problems. They see the engagement as a significant improvement in the ease of conducting business.

The Honourable Minister also examined Section I of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road construction project in Lagos State, which runs 54.2 km from the Epe-Sagamu/Benin Expressway in Lagos and Ogun States. Under the Federal Government’s Tax Credit Scheme, the Dangote Group is in charge of this segment, which starts at Eleko Junction.

Akwanga (Nasarawa State) – Jos (Plateau State) – Bauchi – Gombe – 420 km; Abakaliki (Ebonyi State) – Abuja (FCT) Dual Carriageway – 474 km; and Ilelah (Sokoto) – Badagry (Lagos) Super Highway – 1,058 km are the other three (3) Renewed Hope Legacy Road Projects. While the second has been awarded and the third is being procured, the first is still in progress in two (2) sections that span the states of Sokoto and Kebbi.