WorldStage– The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has dismissed reports claiming that the Federal Government has abandoned the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project in favour of the East-West Road.
Speaking during a press briefing, Umahi described the allegations as baseless, clarifying that both critical infrastructure projects are receiving equal attention under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speculation had recently emerged suggesting that technical complexities and mounting financial demands on the Lagos-Calabar axis had prompted the Ministry of Works to halt operations and shift resources toward expanding the existing East-West Road.
Refuting the narrative, Umahi stressed that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway remains a flagship infrastructure priority designed to stimulate economic growth across Nigeria’s coastal regions.
He noted that construction on various sections of the highway is actively progressing according to the designated timelines.
The Minister explained that the East-West Road and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway are two distinct, complementary projects intended to interconnect different geopolitical zones.
While the East-West Road focuses on facilitating internal movement across the oil-rich Niger Delta states, the coastal highway is a monumental trans-national corridor designed to boost maritime commerce, tourism, and industrial expansion.
According to Umahi, funding and execution strategies for both roads have been independently structured to ensure that progress on one does not come at the expense of the other.
Umahi also reassured Nigerians of the transparency and fiscal responsibility governing the coastal highway’s execution.
He urged stakeholders, contractors, and host communities to ignore misleading rumours designed to cause unnecessary distraction.
The Minister concluded by reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering durable, high-quality infrastructure that will permanently transform Nigeria’s transportation network and drive long-term national development.
