26 October 2026 7:16 am WAT
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended the cost of Nigeria’s coastal highway projects, comparing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with a road project in neighbouring Benin Republic.
Umahi made the remarks during an interview on ARISE News, where he discussed the cost of constructing coastal highways and the features included in the projects.
The minister said the Benin Coastal Highway costs about $4.6 million per kilometre for a two-lane road, arguing that the comparison supports his position on the cost of Nigeria’s project.
“The Benin Coastal Highway is just two lanes on asphalt with no other features. If we compare it with the Lagos-Calabar Highway, which costs $4.6 million per kilometre for two lanes, ours is low compared to that of Benin Republic,” Umahi said.
He added that constructing a standard carriageway costs about $5.5 million per kilometre.
“Our costing has been wonderful and effective,” the minister said.
Umahi’s comments come amid public discussion over the cost of major road infrastructure projects in Nigeria, particularly the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He based his defence on the cost per kilometre and the features included in the projects. However, a detailed comparison would require further information on their specifications, scope of work and the costs covered by the quoted figures.
Tags:
Breaking news & top stories
Stay connected with The Sun Newspaper
Get breaking news, exclusive stories, and live updates delivered straight to your phone. Join thousands of readers already following us on Whatsapp Channel and Telegram.