The minister also revealed that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway design includes modern features such as retaining boards and pre-installed cable ducts. These, he explained, would eliminate the need for telecommunications or utility companies to dig into the road for future installations. “MTN, African Plus or any other network doesn’t have to cut the road. The cables are there, I saw them,” Umahi affirmed.
Lagos, Nigeria – The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is being constructed to withstand flooding and environmental challenges for the next five decades.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement on Section 2 of the multi-billion naira project on Sunday in Lagos, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, emphasized that advanced engineering standards were being employed to ensure the highway’s durability against climate-induced threats.
Umahi said the road’s elevation would be higher than the first floor of most buildings in the surrounding areas. “We will make sure that our pavement level is going to counter any climate change,” he stated.
The minister also revealed that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway design includes modern features such as retaining boards and pre-installed cable ducts. These, he explained, would eliminate the need for telecommunications or utility companies to dig into the road for future installations. “MTN, African Plus or any other network doesn’t have to cut the road. The cables are there, I saw them,” Umahi affirmed.
To enhance security and emergency response, Umahi disclosed that Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras will be strategically mounted along the highway, with emergency response teams expected to arrive within five minutes of any incident.
On sustainability, the Minister noted that the road is being built with concrete pavement, a move he said would reduce carbon emissions and qualify Nigeria to earn carbon credits. “We are going to be earning carbon credit by reason of the use of concrete pavement which will have no emission,” he noted.
In a bid to promote environmental friendliness and aesthetic value, trees will be planted throughout the highway corridor, creating a scenic, eco-conscious route for motorists and tourists alike.
Umahi also highlighted key infrastructure linked to the project, including a major flyover near the Dangote Refinery. The flyover, he said, will feature a 60-metre clearance suitable for heavy-duty trucks and a 41.6-metre counterbalance span. “It is going to be another tourist site,” he added.
As part of efforts to ensure traveller comfort and safety, the federal government plans to establish relief centres along the route. These centres will host petrol stations, convenience stores, eateries, and medical facilities for road users.
Commending the support of stakeholders and host communities, Umahi praised the contractor, Hitech Construction Company, for its professionalism and timely execution of the project. “Let me thank you all for coming to this public engagement. There are some people who are here not because they have money to claim but because of the love they have for this development,” he said.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of Nigeria’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, aimed at boosting connectivity, tourism, and economic growth along the southern corridor.
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