President Bola Tinubu has said that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will generate direct employment for millions of Nigerians and benefit over 30 million people across the country.
He made these remarks during the inauguration of the construction of the 700km highway and the design procurement of the 1000km Sokoto-Badagry superhighway on Sunday in Lagos.
According to Tinubu, the project, which is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, will enhance value and harness Nigeria’s abundant resources.
“This 700 Km superhighway, a 10-lane road project, represents a crucial step in our efforts to enhance connectivity, facilitate economic growth and improve the quality of life for our people.
” It will provide direct employment for millions of people across coastal states and over 30 million citizens will benefit and have access to production and marketing centres.
“This project is more than just a road – it is a symbol of hope, unity, and prosperity.
” It will connect our communities in nine states, foster trade and commerce, boost tourism and create new opportunities for generations to come,” Tinubu said.
Highway to be directly linked to Lekki Free Trade Zones, others
In addition, Tinubu said that the coastal infrastructure is closely connected to the Lekki Free Trade Zones, Deep Seaport, and Dangote Refinery.
He emphasized the importance of fully exploiting the project’s potential, which is designed to bring millions of opportunities to communities and states along the coastline.
Tinubu reassured citizens that his administration would intensify efforts to expedite industrialization, stating that proactive steps were being taken to enhance industrial growth, drive economic prosperity, and create job opportunities for Nigerians.
He recognized that despite facing challenges, the country is making significant strides and efforts to succeed and establish a noteworthy legacy of infrastructure.
Tinubu lauded the industrial contributions of Aliko Dangote, Hi-Tech Construction Company, and Chagoury Group for their resilience in navigating the challenging business environment in Nigeria and Africa.
What you should know
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, designed to stretch 700 kilometres and pass through nine states, was awarded to Hitech Construction Company Limited on an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing (EPC+F) arrangement, where the bulk of the risk falls on the contractor, and the Federal Government provides counterpart funding.
- The Federal Government commenced the construction in March 2024, beginning with the first phase of the project, which stretches 47.47 kilometres from Lagos.
- The second segment Is designed to extend approximately 55 kilometres from the Lekki Deep Seaport—where the first section ends—to the boundary between Ogun and Ondo states. This phase has received approval from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
- Furthermore, other segments of the highway will be constructed independently, including a segment extending from Port Harcourt in Rivers State to Bayelsa State and another from Delta State to Ondo State.