Controversy Mounts Over Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as Umahi Denies Route Change

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has questioned the estimated ₦15 trillion cost of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, calling on the Federal Government to explain the project’s funding, route and expenditure amid growing criticism from opposition figures and legal practitioners.

 

Falana also warned political parties and candidates in Lagos State against electoral violence and voter suppression ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging them to work together to protect voters’ rights regardless of their political affiliations or ethnic backgrounds.

 

Speaking at a public event in a video shared by News Central TV on Monday, Falana questioned reports that sections of the highway were being redirected inland rather than following the coastline.

 

“The road, coastal road has now become land road, I’m sure you are aware,” he said, questioning how the ₦15 trillion earmarked for the project would be spent.

 

Falana urged Nigerians to demand accountability from public officials, warning that inadequate public scrutiny could allow government spending to escape proper oversight.

 

On the 2027 elections, the lawyer expressed concern that violence and intimidation could prevent eligible voters from participating in the electoral process, particularly in Lagos.

 

He called on political candidates across party lines to form a united front to protect votes, insisting that ethnic identity must not be used to deny anyone the right to vote.

 

His comments came amid growing controversy over the Federal Government’s plans for the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a flagship infrastructure project of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

 

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Monday dismissed reports that the Federal Government had abandoned the coastal highway in favour of the East-West Road.

 

Speaking to State House correspondents after meeting President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Umahi described the reports as “mischievous”, insisting that the original alignment remained intact.

 

He explained that the President had approved the addition of a 400-kilometre section of the East-West Road, running from Edo State through Delta and Akwa Ibom to Cross River, as a complementary infrastructure project.

 

According to the minister, the decision was intended to improve regional connectivity, address flooding and strengthen economic activities across the Niger Delta.

 

“So nobody has abandoned the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway,” Umahi said, adding that survey work was ongoing across Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states.

 

He maintained that the highway’s original alignment had not been altered and that construction was progressing on several sections.

 

Umahi said the 47.7-kilometre first section in Lagos had been completed, while the 55-kilometre second section was expected to be ready by mid-November.

 

He added that construction was ongoing on sections covering Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Ondo states, with some portions recording progress of more than 40 per cent.

 

The minister also defended the integration of the East-West Road into the wider infrastructure programme, citing flooding and the need to raise vulnerable sections above existing flood levels.

 

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called on the National Assembly to investigate an alleged plan by the Federal Government to secure a $20 billion loan reportedly linked to the coastal highway.

 

In a statement issued by the Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku raised concerns about the project’s reported route changes, contract payments and borrowing plans.

 

He urged the government to publish the original feasibility studies, revised engineering designs, contract variations, payment records and proposed loan terms.

 

Atiku also questioned whether any payments had been made for sections that might no longer follow the original alignment and demanded clarification on how the proposed borrowing would be used.

 

“Tinubu sold Nigerians a coastal highway. Now his minister says parts of it will follow an existing road inland. That is not a minor adjustment to a drawing. It strikes at the promise used to sell this enormous project,” he said.

 

The former vice-president further alleged that some lawmakers were being pressured with threats to withhold election campaign funds unless they approved the anticipated loan request.

 

However, he did not provide documentary evidence of the alleged loan proposal or its reported connection to Hitech Construction Company, the contractor handling the project.

 

Atiku called on the National Assembly to investigate the claims and ensure that lawmakers had access to the relevant financial and contractual documents before considering any further financing.

 

Human rights lawyer and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, also criticised the coastal highway project, arguing that the Federal Government should prioritise completing the existing East-West Road.

 

In an interview shared on his X handle, Odinkalu alleged that the coastal highway could be used to generate funds for political activities ahead of elections.

 

He questioned why the government would embark on a new highway project while the East-West Road had remained incomplete for more than two decades.

 

“Taking on a new so-called Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road does not make sense. It cannot make sense to anyone except in the framework of extracting money in order to create a political partisan war chest,” he said.

 

Odinkalu also raised concerns about the environmental implications of constructing a highway along the Atlantic coastline, arguing that the fragile ecological zone required comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments.

 

He called for greater transparency in the project’s planning, financing and implementation.

 

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has urged President Tinubu to order an independent review of the reported realignment of the highway away from coastal communities in Ondo and Delta states.

 

In a statement dated October 12, 2026, Adegboruwa warned that shifting sections of the route inland could deprive coastal communities of economic opportunities associated with improved transportation, tourism, agriculture and maritime activities.

 

He acknowledged the engineering challenges cited by the Federal Government but argued that they should be assessed alongside the project’s original development objectives.

 

The lawyer called for a comparative assessment of the original and revised routes, covering construction costs, environmental impact, travel time, employment opportunities and the distribution of economic benefits.

 

He also urged the government to publish the relevant technical and environmental studies and consult affected communities before finalising major changes.

 

“I am not asking the Federal Government to disregard legitimate engineering considerations. I am asking that those considerations be weighed transparently against the original objectives of the project and the rights and development aspirations of the affected communities,” he said.

 

Adegboruwa further urged the President to consider retaining a viable coastal route through affected areas wherever technically, environmentally and economically feasible.

 

Meanwhile, an APC candidate in Ondo State, Niyi Akingunola, has accused the Federal Government of violating procurement and appropriation procedures if the reported changes to the highway’s alignment were made without the required approvals.

 

In a statement issued on Monday, Akingunola argued that any major alteration to the project’s design or cost should comply with the relevant legal and regulatory procedures.

 

He said a revised Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation, an Environmental Impact Assessment and an updated cost estimate should be submitted to the Bureau of Public Procurement for onward transmission to the National Assembly where required.

 

Akingunola also highlighted the potential benefits of the highway to Ondo State, including agriculture, tourism, trade, industrial development and access to wider markets.

 

He urged Umahi to protect the interests of coastal communities and ensure that any project modifications complied with applicable laws.