FG Targets December 2025 For The Opening Of The First Phase of Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway

The Federal Government has confirmed that the first 47-kilometre stretch of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway will be opened to motorists in December 2025.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, made this known on Sunday during an inspection of the project. He stated that the opening is slated for sometime between December 12 and 17, noting that both the government and the contractor are fully committed to completing the initial segment of the 750-kilometre road, which spans nine coastal states.

“This project must be completed. On the president’s directive, we are here to ensure the carriageway is ready for public use by December. We have agreed with the contractor, and that is what we are monitoring. Our goal is to guarantee free access from channel 0 to channel 47, up to channel 55,” Umahi said.

He added that the government plans to open the section to the public mid-December without halting construction. By April next year, the ministry expects to complete Section 1 and half of Section 2, with full completion of these portions—excluding bridges—targeted for April 2026.

Umahi also addressed recent controversy involving Stella Okengwu of Winhomes Global Services Limited, whose suit challenging aspects of the highway project was recently dismissed by a Federal High Court.

He said the court struck out the case for lacking merit, noting that Okengwu had alleged the highway route was diverted into a Winhomes property in Okun Ajah. According to the minister, what was described publicly as a residential estate was merely a gatehouse with no further development.

The minister added that court documents submitted by Okengwu contradicted her public claims, as she acknowledged in her affidavits that Winhomes had already sold the land in dispute. This, he said, undermined the basis of the company’s allegations.

The court ruled that Okengwu and Winhomes lacked the legal standing to pursue the case since they no longer had any ownership interest in the property and failed to show a valid cause of action.

Umahi accused Okengwu of spreading misinformation to discourage foreign investment, describing her media comments as false and malicious. He urged the public to disregard her statements.

The confirmation of the December opening date marks a significant step in the federal government’s drive to improve road infrastructure and strengthen connectivity across Nigeria’s coastal corridor.