Tinubu Plans 1,000km Sokoto-Badagry Road Amid Controversy Trailing N15tn Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

 The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has revealed plans for the construction of the Sokoto-Badagry road, which will span 1,000km and link all the geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The announcement was made as part of the current administration's planned enduring network of roads, aimed at fostering a more secure, safer, and sustainable transportation ecosystem. This development comes in the wake of criticism that has trailed the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, with doubts about its completion. The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway has been described as a 'bogus project' that may not see the light of day, with some Nigerians suggesting it may not be completed in the next 30 years.

During his inspection visit to the km 47 axis of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project at Eleko, Lagos State, Umahi spoke about the directive he received from the president to commence the immediate design of the Sokoto-Badagry highway, which he said is a spur to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road. He hinted that the project would foster a safer and sustainable transportation ecosystem within Nigeria.

Umahi also noted that the coastal highway project would connect the entire country through spurs going to the North by both North East and North West, as well as North Central. The project will involve the construction of a flyover bridge across the Dangote/Hitech concrete pavement to align with the economic values of the coastal highway. The minister said that the flyover will fly over the Dangote HiTech Road that is coming from Lekki Deep Sea port going to Epe and joining the road that is going from Lekki Deep Sea to Lagos being done by the state government. Umahi commended Hitech Construction Nigeria Limited for the quality and speed of the job and hoped that with their capacity and track records, and the political will of the president, the 700 km project would be completed within the eight years of the current administration. He also revealed that there is another spur that is going to go from Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja going to Cameroon, which is about 361km going through Otukpo to Benue, Nasarawa, and ends up at Apo in Abuja.

The minister made it clear that the Landmark properties were intact in response to the reported impact of the demolition exercise along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway section 1, phase 1, as it affects the Landmark investment. He noted that the owner of the investment has no title to the 250 metres shoreline, which is the right of way belonging to the federal government. Umahi stated that they are looking at the feelings of the people and the economic value by following the coast and also the right of way that is legally within the right of way of the federal government. He added that lands cannot be acquired in the overall interest of the public, in line with their laws.