Umahi Speaks On 750km Coastal Highway, Predicts Completion Within Three Years Plus

According to Bush Radio Academy, Umahi made this known during an interview on Arise Television, where he discussed the progress of the coastal highway project, the government’s infrastructure priorities and concerns surrounding the process through which the contract was awarded.

The minister expressed confidence that the administration of President Bola Tinubu could deliver the ambitious road project within the projected timeframe, although he did not provide a detailed construction schedule or specific completion dates for individual sections of the highway.

When asked whether the entire 750-kilometre road could be completed within the period, Umahi linked his projection to his confidence in the President’s leadership and the government’s commitment to infrastructure development.

He explained that the administration was working towards completing the project within three years or slightly longer, expressing optimism about the government’s ability to achieve the target.

Umahi also defended the Federal Government’s decision to award the coastal highway contract through direct procurement rather than an open public bidding process. He acknowledged that there was no public bidding but maintained that the procurement method adopted was lawful.

The minister’s remarks come amid public debate over the coastal highway project, including concerns about contract transparency, funding and the condition of existing federal roads across the country.

Defending his ministry’s infrastructure priorities, Umahi disclosed that approximately 17,000 kilometres of federal roads were either under construction or undergoing reconstruction, excluding major legacy projects being handled by the government.

He said Nigeria had about 35,000 kilometres of federal roads, adding that his ministry was undertaking extensive road construction and rehabilitation to improve transportation and connectivity across the country.

Umahi further stated that the ministry had completed approximately 1,700 kilometres of roads since the Tinubu administration assumed office. He also reported progress on more than six kilometres of flyovers, bridges and underpasses.

Despite the minister’s optimism, the absence of a detailed construction timetable means that the precise delivery dates for the various sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway remain unclear.

The project is one of the Federal Government’s major infrastructure initiatives, intended to improve connectivity along Nigeria’s southern coastline. Its eventual completion will depend on construction progress, funding, project management and the government’s ability to meet its stated targets.