Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has justified the ₦7.5 billion per kilometre cost of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, insisting that the ₦1.067 trillion budgeted for the first 47.47-kilometre section is fair, and even below global benchmarks.
Addressing newsmen in a recent briefing, Umahi explained that the project’s cost reflects its complex design – a 6-lane reinforced concrete expressway featuring flyovers, underpasses, shoreline protection, solar lighting, and landscaping.
“A standard coastal road costs ₦7.5 billion per kilometre. This includes all fillings, shore protections, solar streetlights, and the planting of trees”, Umahi said.
According to him, the figure was derived by dividing the total ₦1.067 trillion cost by the road length and adjusting it to a standard two-lane federal highway. “When you divide ₦1.067 trillion by 47.47 kilometers and then by two lanes, it gives ₦7.5 billion per kilometer of a standard road”, he explained.
Umahi noted that the cost also factors in difficult terrain and extensive groundwork. He disclosed that engineers encountered pits as deep as 20 meters along parts of the route, which had to be excavated and refilled in layers before concrete laying could begin.
Comparing the current project to older asphalt-based roads, the minister argued that the use of reinforced concrete ensures greater durability and long-term value for money.
He also revealed that international financial institutions, including a Dutch-led consortium, reviewed the project and found it to be “undervalued”. Umahi added that the 70% loan portion of the project was oversubscribed by $100 million, reflecting global confidence in its feasibility.
Defending the government’s transparency, Umahi challenged critics to be factual in their assessments. “If international lenders can back this project, we are ready to face anyone. But when criticising, be objective and tell the public the truth”.
