FG to adopt upland route to reduce bridge costs on Lagos-Calabar Highway in Ondo, Delta, others 

This move is aimed at making the project more cost-effective while ensuring a good return on investment.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this during the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway stakeholder meeting in Lagos on Sunday.

He explained that the government decided to adopt an upland route for these sections of the highway to avoid constructing multiple bridges, some spanning up to 3 kilometres.

“For the sections of Ondo, the section of Delta, the section of Port Harcourt, the continuous section in Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa, we are confronted with a lot of bridges, some as long as 3 km. We don’t want to do that – that is going to cost us a fortune,” Umahi stated.

He added that by redesigning the road to follow an upland corridor, the government expects to eliminate about 90% of the bridges initially planned for these areas. This adjustment, he highlighted, is aimed at significantly reducing construction costs and enhancing the project’s financial viability.

Providing more information on other sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, stated that for Section 3 of the project, President Bola Tinubu approved the alignment through Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

He added that the flag-off ceremony is expected to take place either next week or the following week, signalling the commencement of construction activities in these areas.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a 700-kilometer infrastructure project spanning nine states, designed to enhance connectivity and drive economic growth along Nigeria’s coastline.

According to the Minister of Works, the entire highway is expected to be completed within eight years. He noted that multiple sections will be developed simultaneously as procurement, approvals, and other preparatory processes are finalized.