LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY NOT YET OPEN TO MOTORISTS, SAYS UMAHI

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has clarified that the recently inaugurated 30-kilometer stretch of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is not yet open to motorists. According to Umahi, the road will not be accessible to the public until critical segments are fully completed.

Umahi explained that while 30km of the 47.47km stretch under current construction has been completed, the remaining 17.47km is still under active development and must be connected before full access can be granted. He emphasized that even when the road is completed, it will not function as a township road, but rather as a high-speed expressway designed for uninterrupted long-distance travel.
“It’s not going to be open to motorists and Mr. President said I should not listen to what people are saying when they’re not saying things correctly,” Umahi said. “We completed the first 20 km at the beginning and then we completed the other 10 km. Now there is a section that is not completed. 47.47 minus 30, you still have 17.47 and that’s what we are working to join.”

Umahi highlighted the importance of controlled access points, stating that residents in surrounding estates or urban sections will eventually be able to use the highway through designated interchanges. “When you are at the express, it’s express,” he said. “It’s a super highway. So it’s not going to be open to the public the way they think, because if you allow it to become a township road, then you will see what will happen.”

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a flagship infrastructure project of the Tinubu administration, envisioned to span over 700 kilometers, connecting coastal states and enhancing economic access across southern Nigeria. When completed, the highway is expected to boost trade, tourism, and regional integration, opening up new economic opportunities and easing mobility for millions.