Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has provided a detailed breakdown of the cost for the first section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, following public scrutiny and a heated exchange with Arise TV journalist Rufai Oseni last week.
During the interview, Oseni had asked Umahi to clarify the cost per kilometer of the project, prompting the minister to dismiss the question as “nonsensical.” The exchange sparked widespread debate over transparency in infrastructure spending.
In a new video released over the weekend, Umahi addressed the controversy and disclosed that the first 47.47-kilometer stretch of the 700km coastal superhighway would cost ₦1.067 trillion.
He emphasized that the figure includes extensive features such as six lanes, flyovers, underpasses, solar lighting, tree planting, and critical shore protection
“A standard coastal road is going for ₦7.5 billion per kilometer of standard highway,” Umahi explained. “This includes all the fillings, shore protections, solar lighting throughout, and planting of trees”.
He further stated that the ₦7.5 billion estimate was derived by dividing the total cost by the number of lanes and converting it to the standard two-lane measurement used for federal highways.
Umahi defended the project’s valuation, arguing that it is justified and even undervalued compared to global benchmarks.
He also vowed not to allow anyone “dent his image” over what he described as a transformative infrastructure initiative.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is expected to span 700 kilometers, connecting major economic hubs along Nigeria’s southern corridor.
The project has drawn both praise for its ambition and criticism over cost transparency and environmental impact.
