BREAKING: FG Renames Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway After President Tinubu

• The Federal Government has officially renamed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as the President Bola Tinubu Coastal Highway.

The Federal Government has announced that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will now be known as the President Bola Tinubu Coastal Highway.

Minister of Works Dave Umahi disclosed the decision while briefing journalists in Abuja, saying the renaming recognises President Bola Tinubu’s role in conceiving what he described as one of Nigeria’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.

According to Umahi, the decision followed consultations within the Ministry of Works and reflects the President’s long-standing vision for the coastal road project.

“That project is a beauty to behold. And that highway is named President Bola Tinubu Coastal Highway. That’s what we have named the entire coastal highway,” Umahi said.

The minister explained that the idea for the highway dates back more than 27 years to Tinubu’s tenure as Governor of Lagos State, adding that the ongoing construction represents the realisation of that vision.

Umahi also dismissed claims that the project contributed to recent flooding in parts of Lagos, insisting that findings from a joint inspection showed the highway is actually protecting nearby communities by acting as a barrier against ocean surges.

He said settlements located on the seaward side of the road remain vulnerable because of their direct exposure to the Atlantic Ocean rather than the construction itself.

The minister further defended the procurement process for the project, rejecting criticisms that it should have gone through an open competitive bidding process.

According to him, the Public Procurement Act permits special procurement for highly specialised engineering projects, while Hitech Construction Company possesses the technical expertise required for the job.

Umahi added that both the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the contract in line with existing laws.

He also revealed that the project has attracted significant interest from international financial institutions, with investors expressing willingness to finance the first two sections beyond the required funding levels.

Providing an update on construction, Umahi said work is progressing across more than 360 kilometres of the planned 750-kilometre coastal highway.

He disclosed that the 47.47-kilometre first section linking Victoria Island to the Lekki corridor is advancing steadily, while the 55-kilometre second section stretching to the Lagos-Ogun border is about 60 per cent complete and expected to reach substantial completion before the end of November.

Construction is also ongoing on the Cross River sections, with Section Three approximately 30 per cent complete and Section Four around 20 per cent complete, while work has commenced on the 180-kilometre Section Five despite contractors yet to receive mobilisation funds.

Beyond the coastal highway, Umahi provided updates on several major road projects nationwide, including the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the reconstruction of key roads in Ekiti and Osun states, continued work on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway, emergency repairs on the Abuja-Lokoja Road, and the 260-kilometre Makurdi-9th Mile Road, which he said has exceeded 70 per cent completion.

The minister also disclosed that the Ministry of Works has begun recruiting young Nigerian engineers to work alongside contractors on major infrastructure projects to strengthen local capacity and promote knowledge transfer.