Nigeria’s ambitious Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is once again under scrutiny following a heated television exchange between Works Minister David Umahi and Arise Television presenter Ojy Okpe over flooding concerns, the project’s engineering design and its overall cost.
During an interview on Friday, Umahi dismissed claims that the highway was contributing to flooding in communities along the Lagos coastline, insisting that the road had been designed to withstand flood risks. “Let me educate you, Ojy Okpe. The coastal highway is not flooded and will never get flooded,” he declared.
The minister attributed existing flooding in nearby communities to environmental conditions that predated construction, arguing that some houses were built decades ago below the area’s flood level. He said the highway had been elevated following studies of the coastal terrain, with about 10 evacuation channels and multiple culverts designed to direct water towards the lagoon.
However, his assurances have not resolved the bigger questions about the project’s environmental impact, particularly whether its drainage systems adequately protect neighbouring communities. Establishing whether the highway has worsened flooding requires independent hydrological assessments and evidence from affected locations, rather than official assurances or public allegations alone.
A more significant disclosure during the interview concerned the project’s engineering documentation. Umahi acknowledged that there was no single engineering design covering the entire 750-kilometre highway, explaining that designs, soil investigations and environmental assessments were being undertaken section by section.
He maintained that the route’s varying terrain, bridges and construction requirements made phased design and costing necessary. Nevertheless, the admission raises questions about how the government will communicate the project’s total financial commitment, measure its overall value and ensure consistent oversight across its entire length.
Cost remains another contentious issue. Umahi rejected the widely circulated estimate of N15 trillion, arguing that multiplying an average construction cost by the highway’s total length would be misleading. He cited comparisons with a coastal road in neighbouring Benin Republic to defend the cost of the initial 47-kilometre section, while stressing that road configuration and specifications must be taken into account.
On environmental compliance, the minister said construction commenced with a provisional Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) certificate and that final approval had been obtained for the first 47-kilometre section. He said assessments and related requirements were being addressed in phases, an approach that places a premium on transparent documentation and effective monitoring of environmental and social safeguards.
Umahi also clarified that the proposed additional 400-kilometre connection discussed during the interview was not a diversion of the original route. Rather, he described it as a proposed spur linking the coastal highway to the East-West Road through Edo State, intended to improve connectivity and provide an alternative route.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway remains one of President Bola Tinubu’s flagship infrastructure projects, envisioned as a major transport corridor connecting nine states along Nigeria’s southern coastline. Its potential benefits include improved movement of people and goods, stronger regional connectivity and new economic opportunities.
Yet the controversy highlights a central challenge for the project: delivering a major infrastructure initiative while maintaining public confidence through clear cost disclosures, accessible engineering documentation, credible environmental assessments and independently verifiable flood-risk management.
Ultimately, the highway’s success will depend not only on the kilometres completed, but also on whether it delivers lasting transport benefits without imposing avoidable environmental or social costs on the communities along its route.