Nigerians are expressing concerns over the state of the 30-kilometre stretch of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway that was commissioned by President Bola Tinubu on Saturday, May 31, 2025.

They are also confused that 20 days after Section 1, Phase 1 of the coastal highway, measuring 30 kilometres was declared ready and commissioned, it remains largely uncompleted and not usable.

A motorist who went on a ride on the road last Sunday, starting from where it begins in Victoria Island to where it ends in Ibeju Lekki axis, shared his observations with BusinessDay, saying that the commissioned road had makeshift gates, serving a purpose, he said, he did not quite understand.

“But we were able to persuade the gatekeepers to let us pass through,” the motorist, who pleaded anonymity, said. He noted that the highway is a much-needed piece of infrastructure, as, according to him, “it will drastically reduce travel time on the Lekki-Epe expressway for a while, at least, until growth catches up with it.”

Though the motorists described the road as a good idea with great potential and future positive impact, that did not take away his confusion about the alignment of the road. He explained that “at some points, it was 4 lanes and then 2 lanes, and so a bit confusing. But maybe that is because it is not yet completed.”

He pointed out, however, that there are lots of unanswered questions, stressing that “good governance requires transparency; the end does not justify the means.”

Asked how many kilometers, in his estimation, had been done, he estimated what he saw at 11 kilometres, saying that only one side of the carriageway had been done and still in need of more work. “To and fro traffic is limited to that one side. What was ‘commissioned’ is not at all ready for use,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the federal government says it has procured contracts worth over N3 trillion for sections of the coastal highway, spanning Lagos, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.

David Umahi, Minister of Works, who disclosed this in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Orji Uchenna Orji, said the project is being executed in phases, with three major sections already awarded.

According to the minister, Section I, which begins in Lagos, was procured at N1.068 trillion, with 30 percent of the contract sum already disbursed. Section II, which includes several flyovers that cross swampy terrain linking to the Dangote Refinery, was awarded at N1.6 trillion. Additionally, Sections III A and III B, covering the Akwa Ibom and Cross River segments, were jointly procured at N1.33 trillion.

He stated that the coastal highway is designed to improve connectivity, trade, and logistics across coastal states, noting that while concerns over the scale of investment are valid, the project meets national standards and reflects strategic, not regional, priorities. (BusinessDay)