The Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced on Monday that the first section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be completed by May 29, 2025. Following its completion, the road will be tolled for a period of 5 to 10 years to recover the construction costs.
This initial phase covers 47.7 kilometers within Lagos State, starting from Ahmadu Bello Way. Construction began in March 2024, handled by Hitech Construction Company Limited.
Umahi shared the update during an inspection of a section of the road that had previously been a dumpsite but has since been cleared and refilled.
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“I am very happy with the work and people have been asking me that we say that 47-kilometre will be commissioned by May 29, and they are counting months for me, and they are counting months for Hitech. But I have no fear about what Hitech is doing. First, it is good quality work; the most difficult aspect of this is the settlement of the sand.
“The first section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is going to be completed by May 29th and we are going to toll it and we’re going to get our money back within 5 to 10 years,” Umahi said.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, revealed that beyond tolling, the Federal Government plans to introduce additional initiatives along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway corridor, including the development of land for tourism, factories, and housing.
These efforts aim to boost returns on the project.
Umahi explained that the highway is intended to ease pressure on Apapa Wharf, which has long struggled with shallow berths, limiting its cargo handling capacity.
This has resulted in the costly process of “transhipping,” where goods are transferred between vessels, leading to significant financial losses for Nigeria daily.
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He also highlighted the importance of the seven-axle roads currently under construction.
These roads will facilitate efficient transportation from key industrial hubs, such as the Dangote Refinery and Fertilizer Plant in the Lekki Free Trade Zone.
The infrastructure will connect with the Sagamu-Benin Expressway, improving logistics and supply chains across critical regions, including the North, South-West, South-South, and South-East.
The 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will span nine states, designed to enhance connectivity and spur economic growth along Nigeria’s coastline.
Awarded to Hitech Construction Company Ltd. under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing (EPC+F) arrangement, the project places much of the financial and construction risk on the contractor, with the Federal Government providing counterpart funding.
The first phase of the project, covering 47.7 kilometers within Lagos State from Ahmadu Bello Way, commenced in March 2024.
While the full 700 kilometers are expected to be completed in eight years, multiple sections of the highway will be constructed simultaneously as soon as procurement and approvals are finalized.
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