The Presidency has reaffirmed that the Federal Government will construct the entire 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as originally planned, dismissing reports that President Bola Tinubu ordered parts of the project to be abandoned in favour of the existing East-West Road.

The clarification follows mounting criticism over comments by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, that the highway would incorporate sections of the East-West Road in parts of the Niger Delta, raising concerns about the project’s alignment and the inclusion of coastal communities across the southern corridor.

In a statement published on the Presidency’s official X account, the government said Tinubu had never directed that the coastal highway be discontinued from Edo State and replaced with the East-West Road.

Instead, it explained that the proposed reconstruction of 400 kilometres of the East-West Road, stretching from Edo to Cross River State, was an additional infrastructure project that would run alongside the coastal highway.

The Presidency said the existing East-West Road had deteriorated significantly, with sections vulnerable to flooding and pavement damage, making reconstruction necessary.

“This additional project, which is the reconstruction of East-West Road, is presently below flood level due to climate change and whose pavement is badly damaged, will not affect the complete construction of the entire 750km dualised Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as initially proposed,” the statement said.

The government maintained that the additional road project would not alter the original alignment of the coastal highway, seeking to address concerns that some states and communities could be excluded from the flagship infrastructure programme.

Federal Government lists ongoing coastal highway sections

The Presidency said construction was progressing on several sections of the coastal highway, while surveying and design work continued on the remaining stretches.

It identified five sections where work was ongoing in the Niger Delta and adjoining areas.

These include Sections 3A and 3B in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, covering 75 kilometres of dual carriageway; Sections 4A and 4B in Ogun and Ondo states, covering 65 kilometres; and Section Five in Akwa Ibom State, covering 62 kilometres.

According to the government, surveying and design work is continuing on the outstanding portions running from the end of the Ondo section through Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states before connecting with Section Five in Akwa Ibom.

The Presidency said procurement and construction of the remaining stretches would begin after the completion of the survey and design process, starting from the Ondo axis.

“As soon as the survey and design of the remaining sections of the 750km of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway are completed, procurement and construction will commence starting from the end of Ondo axis,” the statement said.

However, the statement did not provide a detailed map of the final alignment or explain precisely how the coastal highway would connect with the reconstructed East-West Road along the disputed stretches.

Umahi’s comments trigger route controversy

The controversy followed Umahi’s earlier remarks that Tinubu had directed the continuation of the coastal highway through the existing East-West Road in parts of the Niger Delta rather than through an entirely new alignment.

The minister cited flooding, climate change and the deteriorating condition of the existing road as reasons for the proposed reconstruction.

The comments prompted questions about whether the government was changing the original route and whether communities expecting improved connectivity under the coastal highway project would still benefit.

The Presidency’s latest clarification seeks to distinguish the two projects, insisting that the East-West Road reconstruction is an additional investment rather than a substitute for the coastal highway.

Nevertheless, the absence of a detailed public route map leaves questions about the precise relationship between the two projects and their implications for communities along the corridor.

Presidency cites additional northern road project

To reinforce its position, the Presidency pointed to another infrastructure initiative approved by Tinubu: the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri highway.

According to the statement, the President approved an additional 410-kilometre Wukari-Langtang route under the administration’s fourth legacy road project, expanding the planned dual carriageway from 700 kilometres to 1,100 kilometres.

The government said the additional route had not changed the original alignment of that project, arguing that the same principle applied to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the East-West Road reconstruction.

“All sections of the legacy projects are ongoing as proposed, and the additional projects will not affect the performance of the original alignment nor will it change it,” the statement added.

The Presidency urged Nigerians to disregard what it described as misinformation about the administration’s commitment to completing the projects.

Economic stakes extend beyond road construction

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the Federal Government’s flagship infrastructure projects, designed to connect Lagos with Calabar through Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

Beyond transportation, the project is expected to improve regional connectivity, facilitate trade and logistics, and strengthen access to commercial centres and coastal communities across southern Nigeria.

Its execution also carries significant implications for public spending, infrastructure planning and investor confidence, particularly given the scale of the project and the economic importance of the states along the route.

For businesses, the key issue is whether the highway will deliver the promised connectivity and reduce transportation bottlenecks across the southern corridor.

While the Presidency has insisted that the full 750-kilometre highway remains intact, publishing a detailed alignment map, construction timetable and clear explanation of how it will interface with the East-West Road would help resolve lingering uncertainty over the project’s implementation.

The government’s latest statement reaffirms its commitment to the original plan, but the definitive test will be whether construction proceeds across the entire route as promised.