The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has said private investors are already seeking approval to toll completed sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and recover government investment in the project.
Umahi disclosed this as the Federal Government signed contract agreements for eight major road projects across the country, including fresh sections of President Bola Tinubu’s legacy highway projects.
The agreements were signed on Wednesday and Thursday, May 13 and 14, at the Federal Ministry of Works headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja.
In a statement signed by Francis Nwaze, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Works on Media, Umahi described the projects as part of Tinubu’s drive to modernise Nigeria’s road infrastructure and expand economic opportunities across the six geopolitical zones.
Investors Eye Tolling Rights
“Just like in Section One that we finished in Lagos, a lot of investors are begging to be given that section for them to toll and then give back our money even before they start tolling,” Umahi said.
He said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway had moved from public doubt to national admiration, describing it as an economic catalyst for the country.
“When we started the coastal highway, 750km, people did not believe that it would be a reality. And some that knew that it would be a reality, out of envy and jealousy, started to criticise the project,” he said.
“But today, the entire country is waving their flags for President Bola Tinubu because that project is a beauty to behold. It is an economic catalyst for the nation, Nigeria.”
Coastal Highway to Reach Ondo by November
Umahi said that by November, motorists would be able to travel from Ahmadu Bello Way in Lagos through Sections One, Two and part of Section Four to Ondo State on completed portions of the highway.
He added that Sections 3A and 3B in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states are ongoing, while Section Five, covering 165.6 kilometres, has also commenced.
According to him, the coastal highway is not merely a road project but a long-term national investment designed to last for decades.
“This is not just a road project. I have always said that this is an investment that the President is doing, and this is a road that is going to last for another hundred years with no maintenance,” he said.
Umahi Defends Project Cost
Umahi explained that the cost of the projects covers extensive drainage systems, reinforced pavement, concrete works, culverts and other durable engineering components.
“For those who are asking us about cost per kilometre, we will be talking now at an average cost per kilometre, which is about N7.5bn for a standard carriageway,” he said.
“But this one is even with a lot of road architecture. You see the concrete poles, the drainage, the culverts, the reinforcement, the pavement. So it is not just a road. This is an investment.”
The minister said the Federal Government would provide 30 percent counterpart funding for the projects, while 70 percent would be sourced through loans.
He added that tolling and strategic land acquisition along the road corridors would help ensure long-term returns on investment.
Calabar-Abuja Highway to Cut Travel Time
Speaking on the Calabar-Ebonyi-Abuja Super Highway, Umahi said the government had already procured the first 123-kilometre single carriageway from Calabar through Ebonyi State to the Benue border.
He said the newly signed section covers another 173 kilometres through Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states, ending at the Oweto Bridge.
The minister added that the government would soon procure the second carriageway of about 300 kilometres from Ndibe Beach to Oweto in Nasarawa State.
Umahi said the project would cut travel time between the South-East and Abuja to between three and four hours and boost commercial activities in the region.
“With this project, any part of the South-East you are, you will be in Abuja in three to four hours. And this is a plus to our commercial activities,” he said.
Other Legacy Projects Signed
He also said five companies competed for the Calabar-Ebonyi-Abuja project before Infouest emerged successful, adding that the same transparent procurement process was adopted for the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway.
On the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, Umahi said Section IV covering the Oyo axis spans 360 kilometres.
He said the project showed that the Tinubu administration was spreading development across all geopolitical zones.
“The President is President for the entire country. His four legacy projects are dotted throughout the six geopolitical zones,” he said.
Umahi also highlighted progress on the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri Road, saying Tinubu insisted on changing the original asphalt design to concrete pavement to guarantee durability.
“The President said, ‘No, we want to do concrete road so that when we build it, it will last for a hundred years,’” he said.
Road Contracts
The four major legacy project sections signed include :
– Calabar-Ebonyi-Abuja Superhighway Section II, covering the Ebonyi border through Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states;
– Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway Section IV in Oyo State;
– Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Section V in Akwa Ibom State;
– Dualisation of Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri Road Section II from Gombe to Biu;
– Reconstruction of Mando–Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna State by Messrs J. Patel and Sons Nigeria Limited;
– Dualisation of Ibadan–Ijebu Ode Road in Oyo and Ogun states by Messrs JRB Construction Company Limited;
– Construction of Osogbo–Ikirun–Akoda Road in Osun State by Messrs Truecrete Solutions Limited; and
– Construction of Osogbo–Iwo–Ibadan Road in Osun and Oyo states by Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Limited.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Rafiu Olarinre Adeladan, said the signing ceremony marked the successful conclusion of the procurement process and the formal commencement of implementation.
Responding on behalf of the contractors, the Chief Executive Officer of HITEC Construction Company, Dany Abboud, assured the government of timely delivery and quality execution.
“Our commitment is always on the table. We are committed to delivering those jobs before the 36 months that were awarded,” Abboud said.
