The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, recently launched by President Bola Tinubu, has come under severe criticism from former SGF Babachir Lawal, who described the initiative as a “scam” lacking tangible benefits for Nigerians.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Lawal questioned the government’s infrastructure achievements, remarking, “If you ask me… I cannot see any [projects]” that have visibly impacted Nigerians. He lamented the absence of road construction in northern Nigeria and the South-West.
Lawal also highlighted the perennial delays surrounding the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, accusing governments of political grandstanding without delivery: “They are still talking about the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway… and it never goes anywhere.”
He was particularly dismissive of the coastal highway, stating, “Every Nigerian knows it is a scam. Even before they started, we knew it would be a scam.”
The project’s initial 30-kilometre phase was flagged off in May, but Lawal questioned the prudence of borrowing from Europe for such projects, noting, “You borrow money… and before it comes, it is spent over there.”
He challenged the government’s accountability, asking, “So, what are they doing with our money?”