₦airaland Forum

According to the minister, the ₦7.5 billion per kilometer figure is derived from dividing the total cost of ₦1.067 trillion for the 47.47-kilometer stretch by the number of lanes and converting it to the standard two-lane measurement used for federal highways.

Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has defended the controversial cost of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that the project, estimated at over ₦1trillion for its first section, is justified and even undervalued compared to global standards.

Speaking while giving a detailed breakdown of the figures while addressing newsmen in a recent interview, Umahi disclosed that the first section of the 700km coastal road, spanning 47.47 kilometers, would cost ₦1.067 trillion and feature six lanes, flyovers, underpasses, and extensive shore protection.

“A standard coastal road is going for N7.5billion per kilometer of standard highway,” Umahi said.

“However, this N7.5 billion includes all the fillings, shore protections, solar lighting throughout, and planting of trees.”

According to the minister, the ₦7.5 billion per kilometer figure is derived from dividing the total cost of ₦1.067 trillion for the 47.47-kilometer stretch by the number of lanes and converting it to the standard two-lane measurement used for federal highways.

"The first section, 47.47 kilometers, is costing ₦1.067 trillion and is six lanes. When you divide this ₦1.067 trillion by 47.47 and by two, you will get 11.57 — a kilometer of three lanes,” Umahi explained.

“A standard federal highway is two lanes. So by the time you now divide by three and multiply by two, you will see that a standard coastal road is going for ₦7.5 billion per kilometer.”

Umahi said the figure covers not only the construction cost but also shoreline defenses, solar-powered street lighting, concrete retaining walls, and landscaping.

He claimed that the ministry had faced challenging terrain along the route, encountering deep pits up to 20 meters which had to be excavated and refilled in stages before concrete laying could commence.

“You encounter a pit of up to 20 meters and then this pit we removed and then refilled with lumps in levels and stages and then we are passing through there now. At kilometer 32, we also have encountered such,” he said.

The minister further compared the coastal highway project to earlier asphalt-based road projects awarded by previous administrations.

He argued that the current use of reinforced concrete makes the new road longer-lasting and more cost-effective.

“As at five years ago, the cost of one meter cubed of concrete awarded by the past administration was ₦729,000 per meter cubed,” Umahi said.

“We started the coastal highway with ₦350,000 per meter cubed. So leave out the president or any other person, hold me accountable, ask me questions, come for debate, and I will give you the cost of one meter cubed of concrete.”

Umahi added that the project had been reviewed and approved by Dutch and other international financial institutions, which, according to him, described it as “undervalued.”

“The Dutch bank that led the other international banks to review the cost of the project said it was undervalued. And when it was time to fund the 70% loan component, the project was oversubscribed by 100 million US dollars,” he stated.

The Works Minister, a former governor of Ebonyi State, challenged critics of the project to “be objective” and “tell the public the truth,” stressing that both he and President Bola Tinubu were committed to transparency.

“If the financial institutions can give us this credit, we are ready to face anybody. But when you are criticising us, be very objective and tell the public the truth,” Umahi said.




https://saharareporters.com/2025/10/13/lagos-calabar-coastal-highway-costs-n75billion-kilometer-tinubus-minister-umahi?fbclid=IwdGRjcANaH2BjbGNrA1oeE2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEevdiKmNLulB5yuc0-qHh7X3M0irVkc48v_wSdjHs7vlKgNWB2KTq8qwKmNk8_aem_iBqFWOb5mduZY_Hwn5cKlg

It worth it, bcus is water way

Professor in practice! you should have saved yourself from this global embarrassment by given out figures to Arise TV journalist. This is medicine after death.

You already embarrassed yourself publicly

No longer 4Billion?? These guys are Hardened Thieves.

How much will these people swallow before they become full because it seem they have become like fire that keeps devouring without ever getting satisfied.
May God deliver us

Just imagine this Ridiculous Amount.

This Should Be The Most Expensive Road in The World!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Is this amount not enough to build hospital in all states

Antoeni:
Just imagine this Ridiculous Amount.

This Should Be The Most Expensive Road in The World!

The main funders are not mumu and these funders are mainly whites who know how to cost things more than you.
I learnt that a kilometer of road in Aba by governor Otti is #6 billion and it is not a coastal road with all the other road accessories that Umahi is introducing at #7.5 billion.I think it is very cheap when compared to gov Otti's road in Aba and also what the main financiers stated:

“The Dutch bank that led the other international banks to review the cost of the project said it was undervalued. And when it was time to fund the 70% loan component, the project was oversubscribed by 100 million US dollars,” he stated.

Enough to Build Hospital in Every City in West Africa

Good2go1:
Is this amount not enough to build hospital in all states

Na wa o!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The be frank, the amount is too ridiculous.

OK, I've heard....

But make una quick do this road make we start dey use am na.

Let the work go faster pls.

Even their laptop propagandist shock

Is it 100 lane road abi is it made of gold?
If I’m EFCC I’ll trace all of the chagpuris’ local and international transfers to see where it went back to Tinubu and Umahi’s offshore accounts

Una never see anything yet as nigerians,this one is just a child,s play,Una go hear am before 2027.na by force Una brain go factory reset.
Shey Una get allegiance to corruption and dubious practices as a people.

Whether he embarrassed himself or not he as giving you what he asked. The fact that he did not give it when Rufai asked is not a death sentence. He as corrected the mistake now do with that information what you will.

Antoeni:
Professor in practice! you should have saved yourself from this global embarrassment by given out figures to Arise TV journalist. This is medicine after death.

You already embarrassed yourself publicly

Umahi should explain how the project went from 4 billion to 7 billion because i just got an article where he state it will cost 4 billion initially.

https://punchng.com/lagos-calabar-coastal-highway-costs-n4bn-per-kilometre-umahi/

Someone up there just asked how much does Alex Otti construct similar road with same number of lane that is not a coastal road.

Your comment is another senseless tribal vendetta like Second Niger bridge is good for you ipobs but Coastal road is not good for NigerDelta n West though they generate over 99% of the fund to repay the cost of constructing the road.

iluvdonjazzy:
The be frank, the amount is too ridiculous.

Putinofrussia:
The main funders are not mumu and these funders are mainly whites who know how to cost things more than you.
I learnt that a kilometer of road in Aba by governor Otti is #6 billion and it is not a coastal road with all the other road accessories that Umahi is introducing at #7.5 billion.I think it is very cheap when compared to gov Otti's road in Aba and also what the main financiers stated:

“The Dutch bank that led the other international banks to review the cost of the project said it was undervalued. And when it was time to fund the 70% loan component, the project was oversubscribed by 100 million US dollars,” he stated.

Who are the whites you are talking about? Give us one name. Kora people na white to you bah?

He would have saved himself the public disgrace he received if he was accountable from the onset.

It took him eight days to Rephrase his calculations,yet he got it very wrong

Elusive001:
Who are the whites you are talking about? Give 8s one name.

In his head they are ''white gods'' and need no names.

Their white skin is their name, in his colonised head.

esnbrutality:
Even their laptop propagandist shock

donponponyon don go hide

N7.5bn for one kilometre, one meter cost N75million only, what a country. Who did the valuation and how was it bidded for.

why did he have to wait to be disgraced before given the information even though we know their thief dey am.

A country wonderfully and fearlessly corrupt,constitution is corruptly contrived,Nigerians’bibles are full of,Nigerians’korans aberrations,what’s a country.

When One is Dubious, The Devil Don't Allow Him to Think Right, So That He Can Bring Shame Upon Himself

cockcrowatdawn:
why did he have to wait to be disgraced before given the information even though we know their thief dey am.