The federal government has temporarily opened a portion of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway to automobile traffic.

The 47-kilometre route connects the Ahmadu Bello Way intersection on Victoria Island to the Eleko junction.

The road was temporarily opened on Friday following a ceremony attended by David Umahi, Minister of Works; Gbolahan Lawal, Oniru of Iruland; Barinada Mpigi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works; Dany Abboud, Managing Director of Hitech Construction Company; Oluwaseun Osiyemi, Lagos Commissioner for Transportation; and Ministry of Works officials.

Olufemi Dare, federal controller of works in Lagos, stated that the government chose to temporarily open the portion to alleviate traffic congestion over the Yuletide season.

Dare said the 47km section of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road was awarded to Hitech construction company for N1,067,887,381,148.61.

He said the contract sum covered the “construction of rigid pavement dual-carriage highway with accompanying drainages and culverts, median barriers, street lightings, and the relocation of public utilities like electric cables, poles, cable ducts, gas and water pipelines as required”.

“The stretch of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway that falls entirely within the Lagos State border is 103km in length,” he said.

“Up till date, a total of 30km of continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) has been completed, while sand filling has been completed on the remaining 17.474km, and the whole stretch of 47.474km is thus motorable.

“The total stretch in section 1 is projected to be completed before the end of the second quarter of 2026.”

Speaking at the occasion, the minister of works denied that the federal government is solely focused on the Lagos-Calabar coastal route, stating that other projects are presently underway.

He also stated that the federal government is willing to receive constructive criticism on the initiative.