Afenifere Raises Alarm Over Exclusion of Ondo Coastline from Lagos-Calabar Highway

Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has expressed concern over the exclusion of Ondo State’s coastline from the revised alignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, urging the Federal Government to restore the state to the project’s original route.

In an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, the group warned that removing Ondo’s coastal communities from the proposed 700-kilometre highway could deny the state significant economic opportunities and undermine the project’s original objective of linking Nigeria’s coastal regions.

The letter was signed by Afenifere Secretary-General, Sola Ebiseni, on behalf of the Ilaje-Yoruba people and other coastal communities in Ondo State.

According to Ebiseni, the concept of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway dates back to around 1900 when the Ilaje coastal territory, now part of Ondo State, was administered under the Lagos Colony.

He argued that the revised route departs from the original vision and raises concerns that the project may be increasingly focused on opening up private real estate developments along the Lagos coastline instead of promoting balanced regional development.

Afenifere appealed to President Tinubu to review the highway alignment and ensure it passes through Ondo State’s coastal communities before linking Oghoye in Warri and continuing through Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

The group maintained that extending the highway through Ondo’s coastline would unlock the economic potential of the largely undeveloped area while stimulating investment, trade and tourism.

Ebiseni added that the benefits would not be limited to coastal settlements but would also spread to inland communities, including Owo and Akoko, just as coastal development in Lagos has driven economic growth in neighbouring Ogun State communities such as Agbara, Igbesa, Sango and Sagamu.

He urged the Federal Government to ensure the project promotes equitable national development rather than political considerations.

According to him, excluding Ondo State from the coastal highway corridor would deny many communities access to infrastructure, investment and commercial opportunities that could transform the region.

Afenifere said the Federal Government should preserve the original spirit of the project by ensuring all major coastal states benefit from the landmark infrastructure, describing the highway as a national asset that should foster inclusive economic growth across Nigeria’s coastline.