Coastal Highway Hits Homes and Livelihoods as Umahi Defends Project

Works Minister David Umahi on Wednesday dismissed critics of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying they act out of envy and never believed President Bola Tinubu could deliver the 700-kilometre road. He spoke during an inspection in Ondo State’s Ilaje area.

The initial 30km stretch of Section 1 was commisioned while works toward Eleko continues. Officials say the dual carriageway will cut travel time between Lagos and Calabar from about 12 hours to 6-7 hours and open new trade and tourism routes.

Along the route the impact is immediate and personal. Hundreds of homes, businesses and farms have already been cleared in Lagos and nearby communities. Residents in places like Okun-Ajah and Ibeju-Lekki report demolitions that took houses, a local chief’s palace and parts of Landmark Beach. Some say compensation has been slow or inadequate. Farmers have watched cassava and palm plantations destroyed, sometimes with little notice. Fishing communities fear erosion, polluted waters and lost catch as the road cuts through wetlands and mangroves.

Umahi insists the project includes strong drainage designed to reduce flooding, not cause it, and blames blocked drains and refuse dumping for water problems in some areas. Supporters point to construction jobs and future economic gains for coastal states.

For families living on the shoreline, the debate is practical: lost homes and livelihoods now versus faster journeys and new opportunities later. That tension defines the highway’s real story.