The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has clarified comments made by former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, suggesting that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Superhighway might not extend beyond Epe, stating that construction has already progressed past the area and is advancing simultaneously across several states.
Senator Umahi made the clarification while inspecting Section 4B of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Superhighway in Ondo State on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, where he highlighted the remarkable progress being recorded on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s flagship Renewed Hope infrastructure project.
Responding to Donald Duke’s remarks, the Minister said the reality on the ground has overtaken the concerns previously expressed.
“So the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is already on sail. We have sailed past Lagos that my brother Donald Duke talked about,” Umahi stated.
The Minister disclosed that construction is progressing simultaneously across multiple sections of the corridor, demonstrating the Federal Government’s commitment to timely project delivery.
“We are also on sail at Ogun, 28 kilometres; on sail at Ondo, 52 kilometres, all by two. We are already on sail in Calabar, 27 kilometres, and in Akwa Ibom, the first section is about 47 kilometres. Those jobs are over 60 percent completed. We are also on sail in the longest section of this Lagos-Calabar Highway, which is the 180-kilometre dual carriageway in Akwa Ibom,” he said.
Umahi explained that beyond serving as a transportation corridor, the Coastal Superhighway is already transforming lives by creating employment opportunities, improving security and stimulating economic activities.
“Roads are a source of employment. We’ve counted over one thousand people within this section employed by HITECH. It is creating a lot of direct and indirect jobs. It is also helping to solve insecurity because security personnel are deployed along the corridor, while local vigilantes and community security groups are actively involved. It is opening up corridors for commerce, agriculture and education,” he stated.
The Minister reiterated that constructive criticism remains welcome, provided it offers practical alternatives that contribute to national development.
“If you want to criticize us, criticize us constructively and offer alternatives,” he said.
Expressing confidence in the successful completion of the project, Umahi affirmed President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to delivering the landmark highway.
“According to the words of President Bola Tinubu, he said this project will be done. With God on his side, it will be done,” he said.
The Minister also urged people of the Niger Delta to support and defend the project, describing it as one that would reshape the economic future of the region.
“It is up to the Niger Delta people to defend these projects. They should defend the President because this project will transform the region. They must support the President to complete it,” he stated.
Umahi maintained that opposition to the project does not reflect the aspirations of the people who stand to benefit from it.
“Those who are attacking the Coastal Highway do not have love for the Niger Delta people,” he said.
The Minister further described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Superhighway as one of the most transparent, technically sound and economically prudent infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Nigeria.
He revealed that officials of Deutsche Bank, during their assessment for financing the first section, described the engineering design as exceptional and noted that the project was actually undervalued. According to him, the financing offer became oversubscribed by over $100 million, reinforcing confidence in the project’s viability.
Addressing allegations that the highway alignment was altered to favour private estates, Umahi dismissed the claims, explaining that the alignment was adjusted strictly on engineering and economic considerations.
He noted that the original coastal alignment encountered soil deposits as deep as 50 metres, making construction technically difficult and significantly more expensive. In addition, the route would have required three major bridges of approximately 3.5 kilometres each across large ocean channels, substantially increasing project costs.
The Minister explained that the revised alignment followed President Tinubu’s directive to minimise crossings over large bodies of water while ensuring the project remained technically feasible and economically sustainable.
“This is because the President wants the Ministry of Works, as much as possible, to minimise large ocean bodies and rivers. So we had to navigate the alignment in compliance with the President’s directive that this project must be realised,” he explained.
Umahi commended HITECH Construction Company for its professionalism, quality of work and cordial relationship with host communities, describing the company as a dependable partner in delivering the transformational project.
“We commend very highly the doggedness of HITECH, the partnership, the quality of work and the community friendliness. No matter what anybody says out of envy or jealousy, they remain our partners,” he said.
Looking ahead, the Minister expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s infrastructure revolution would leave an enduring legacy for future generations.
“Under President Bola Tinubu, this country shall be rebuilt. Every road he is constructing today is designed to last for the next hundred years with minimal maintenance. We will not have to reconstruct them,” he declared.
Francis Nwaze, FIPMD
Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works (Media)
August 6, 2026