By Faridat Salifu
Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has expressed confidence that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will redefine the country’s transportation network and contribute to climate goals by generating carbon credits through eco-friendly construction.
Speaking during a recent stakeholder engagement in Lagos, the minister maintained that the use of concrete pavement, solar energy, and tree planting along the corridor will significantly reduce emissions and qualify the project for carbon credit earnings.
“We are going to be earning carbon credit by the reason of concrete in the road pavement because it has low emission compared to asphalt,” Umahi said. “We’ll also earn credits through the use of solar rather than diesel and by planting trees along the corridor.”
Highlighting the project’s scale, Umahi said the 700 km highway will revolutionize traffic flow, integrate rail infrastructure, and support Nigeria’s economic development. “This project will evacuate traffic jams out of town, and we’re also preparing for the future with a 12-meter rail corridor in the middle.”
The minister disclosed that the project accommodates future developments, such as train stations, and is being constructed with foresight—embedding foundational infrastructure to minimize future disruptions.
“We are making provisions so that future transport projects can be seamlessly integrated,” he said.
Addressing complexities in Section II, which passes industrial zones including the Dangote Refinery, Umahi explained the construction of multiple flyovers, including one spanning 60 meters, to ensure smooth logistics and industrial operations are not hindered.
Related Posts
“We are flying over Dangote’s refinery, fertilizer plant, and other conflict points,” he noted.
He also announced upcoming expansions across Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, and updates on other legacy projects like the Sokoto-Badagry corridor, which faces geographical and financial hurdles due to river crossings.
Umahi reiterated that four national legacy projects are in motion, covering every region.
“No region is left behind,” he stated, listing routes from Calabar through Ebonyi to Abuja, and from Abuja through Jos to Gombe.
On maintenance, the minister assured stakeholders of monitoring work on the Independence Bridge and other critical infrastructure, warning against illegal activities like hawking and parking on bridges that could risk structural failure.
He also announced a federal directive banning dredging within 10 kilometers of bridges nationwide to prevent erosion-related damage, following warnings from Julius Berger engineers.
Lagos State Controller of Works, Olukorede Kesha, addressed public concerns about property demolitions along the highway route, clarifying that a more economical alignment was chosen to reduce demolition from over 1,500 properties to under 700, with compensation estimated at N18 billion.
Kesha stated, “We took the most economic route. The alignment was reviewed to minimize disruption and cost.”
