The Federal Government has confirmed that construction of the Cross River section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway—referred to as Section B3—will commence on 14 April 2025. The Akwa Ibom section is set to follow, with its own groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for 15 April.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during a stakeholders’ engagement on Section Two of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, held in Lagos on Sunday, 6 April.
The announcement comes just days after Umahi revealed that 30 kilometres of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road—forming part of Section One—would be ready for President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration on 25 May 2025.
“We are heading to Cross River on the 14th to flag off construction. On the 15th, we will proceed to Akwa Ibom for the same purpose,” Umahi stated.
He added, “That 65-kilometre stretch is the most challenging terrain. When doubled for both lanes, it spans 130 kilometres.”
On the second major project—the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway—the Minister noted that one section in Sokoto spans 120 kilometres.
“The third section of the Sokoto-Badagry project will begin from Badagry, but we are faced with some engineering challenges,” Umahi explained.
“There are rivers spanning three kilometres that need to be bridged, which represents a significant financial commitment. We’ve proposed four design options, and the final choice will be made by Mr President.”
He assured that once the preferred option is selected, procurement will immediately commence, followed by the start of construction work.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the flagship infrastructure projects of the Tinubu administration and has sparked both interest and controversy since its inception.
•President Bola Tinubu officially launched the project on 26 May 2025 in Lagos.
•The 700-kilometre highway is estimated to cost approximately ₦15 trillion and is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
•The project has drawn criticism over timing and demolitions of existing properties, though the Minister of Works has insisted that it is a transformative and necessary investment for Nigeria.
Minister Umahi had earlier stated his intention to recommend tolling the first section of the road upon completion. He also noted that President Tinubu views the project not as a legacy initiative, but as a long-term investment in national infrastructure.