The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to retain the originally conceptualised alignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway through Ondo State and the Escravos–Ogheye–Ugborodo corridor in Delta State, calling for a review of the proposed realignment. The lawmakers warned that diverting the highway away from coastal communities could undermine the project’s original objectives of improving connectivity, facilitating trade and unlocking economic opportunities in the region.
The motion was moved by Thomas Ereyitomi (APC, Delta) during Wednesday’s plenary. The lawmaker raised concerns about the proposed route bypassing riverine communities in Delta State, including the Ogheye, Orere, Ugborodo, and Escravos corridor, where major oil and gas infrastructure is located. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a major federal road project designed to connect communities and economic centres along Nigeria’s Atlantic coastline, from Lagos to Calabar in Cross River State.
The project was initially conceived as a roughly 700-kilometre corridor and is intended to improve movement, trade and access to coastal communities across several states. The federal government has recently defended changes being considered for sections of the route, citing difficult terrain, flooding, weak subsoil conditions and climate-related risks.
Minister of Works Dave Umahi said the government intends to use portions of the existing East-West Road in the affected corridor, while maintaining the wider coastal highway project. However, the House said any change to the route should be subjected to an independent assessment of its engineering requirements, environmental consequences, socioeconomic impact and total lifecycle cost.
Mr Ereyitomi said the proposed realignment could prevent coastal communities from benefiting from a project specifically conceived to improve connectivity along the coastline. “The proposed realignments may compromise the project’s original connectivity and economic-development objectives if their comparative engineering requirements, environmental consequences, socioeconomic implications, and total lifecycle costs are not independently assessed,” he said.