The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has announced that tolling on the first section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will commence in December 2025, as the federal government targets a ten-year return on investment for the ambitious infrastructure project.
Umahi made the disclosure during an interview for a State House documentary marking President Bola Tinubu’s second anniversary in office.
“By December, we will toll Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. We project a 10-year return on investment,” he said.
Describing the road as a transformative project, the minister highlighted several of its features, including solar-powered lighting, CCTV infrastructure, and carbon credit potential. “It is more than a road; it is an economic corridor and a catalyst for regional growth,” Umahi said.
Providing updates on the project’s progress, he stated that 30 kilometres of Section 1 had been completed, with an additional 10 kilometres under construction in Section 2. Both sections are six-lane, concrete-paved highways designed to support heavy-duty traffic and long-term durability.
Umahi also confirmed the commencement of Sections 3 and 3B, covering a total of 65 kilometres—38 kilometres in Cross River State and 27 kilometres in Akwa Ibom State. He noted the enthusiastic response from host communities, describing it as evidence of the highway’s transformative impact.
Turning attention to another major infrastructure project, Umahi spoke on the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, linking it to the historic Trans-Saharan trade route. “The Trans-Saharan trade route dates back to colonial-era planning. President Tinubu is now bringing these long-abandoned visions to life,” he said.
In a political aside, the minister asserted that all South-East governors are united in their support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. He added that plans were underway to convene a regional summit aimed at rallying political leaders in the zone, including 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi, around Tinubu’s second-term agenda.
