The Federal Government has announced that the first 47-kilometre section of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway will be opened to traffic between December 12 and 17, 2025. The announcement was made by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during an inspection of the ongoing project on Sunday.
The highway, which spans 750 kilometres and links nine coastal states, has been described as a major infrastructure milestone for Nigeria’s transport network. Umahi stated that both the government and contractors are committed to ensuring timely delivery of this initial section. “This job must be completed. We are here on the President’s directive to ensure that the carriageway is opened for public use by December,” he said.
The Minister added that while Section 1 will be accessible by December, work on half of Section 2 is expected to be completed by April 2026, excluding bridges which fall under separate contracts. Umahi thanked God and the President for enabling the government to pursue the project, adding that full commissioning of Section 1 and part of Section 2 remains a priority.
Umahi also addressed recent litigation involving the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project. He revealed that the Federal High Court struck out a suit filed by Stella Okengwu, CEO of Winhomes Global Services Limited, over claims on the project, ruling that the suit lacked merit. The minister stressed that the government remains focused on completing the highway and delivering the infrastructure to Nigerians as scheduled.
The opening of this section is expected to ease travel along the coastal corridor and boost trade and connectivity between southern states.
