Tinubu’s minister Umahi bows to pressure, says coastal highway costs N7.5bn per kilometer

David Umahi, Minister of Works, under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has defended the reported ₦7.5 billion per kilometer cost of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that the figure reflects the project’s quality and unique features.

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.

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 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.

This comes after public criticism over his earlier exchange with Arise TV presenter, Rufai Oseni.

During the interview, Oseni had asked Umahi to break down the project’s cost per kilometre, a question that sparked a heated argument. Umahi dismissed the inquiry as “elementary,” claiming that costs vary from one section to another and accusing the journalist of lacking technical understanding.

The development drew widespread backlash, with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, later siding with the journalist.

The development drew widespread backlash, with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, later siding with the journalist, saying the question was valid and that government officials owe Nigerians transparency.

The 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which cuts across nine states, remains one of the most ambitious and controversial infrastructure projects under President Tinubu’s administration.