…Surveyor-general to secure lands for return on investment
David Umahi, the minister of works, has assured Nigerians that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is not just a road project, but also an economic corridor designed to generate enough investment returns to recover its cost.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the project in Lagos on Thursday, Umahi said the trillions of naira highway would be tolled and complemented by massive investments springing up along the corridor.
“This road will be tolled. The money that is spent will be recovered. And we’ve seen by the investment on the road corridor that the road is capable of paying for itself. Tolling alone cannot pay for the cost of the construction, so this is an investment beyond road construction,” he explained.
The minister stressed that the highway is already driving real estate and commercial development, which will boost government revenues and create jobs.
He added that the Office of the Surveyor General, now under the Presidency, has been mandated to work with state governors to secure lands along the corridor for both public interest and return on investment.
Beyond the financial benefits, Umahi noted that the highway will serve as a catalyst for regional integration, linking Lagos to Cross River through Ogun, Ondo, and Akwa Ibom, while connecting to other major federal road networks.
He also highlighted the project’s engineering features, including a planned 2.9-kilometre tunnel linking Ahmadu Bello Way, Snake Island, and Badagry, which will further connect to the Sokoto-Badagry Highway.
On the state of construction, Umahi dismissed reports of damage to completed sections of the road.
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“There is no damage to any of the completed works of Section 1. What you see is massive sand filling, which the rains actually help us to consolidate,” he said.
According to him, HITECH, the contractor handling the project, has already delivered 20 kilometres in Section 1, with an additional 10 kilometres underway, while Section 2 has recorded over 12 kilometres of work, including more than 10 kilometres of concrete pavement.
Umahi described HITECH as “development partners” who have maintained competitive costs below the amount quoted by other firms.
Commending President Bola Tinubu for his vision, Umahi said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, alongside other legacy projects, would form an interconnected loop of economic highways across Nigeria.
“This project is a catalyst. The adjoining routes are being linked by the federal government, and the road will drive investment far beyond Lagos or Calabar. It is a project that pays for itself,” he said.
