NIGERIA: The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has renewed its criticism of the Federal Government’s handling of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, describing the contract as the “most opaque” ever awarded in Nigeria and demanding greater transparency over its procurement, terms and deliverables.
The party’s spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, raised the concerns on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, following fresh controversy over plans to integrate part of the proposed highway with the existing East-West Road.
Abdullahi questioned the circumstances surrounding the award of the contract, arguing that the public had not been adequately informed about the procurement process, the terms of the agreement or the specific obligations of the contractor.
“This is why we continue to say transparency; the rules about transparency in relation to procurement exist for a reason. When you bypass that, you pay,” he said.
“Now nobody knows the terms of the agreement, how they signed the contract, how they awarded the contract, and what the deliverables are. Now we don’t know what they are going to do,” he added.
The ADC spokesman also questioned whether competitive bidding had taken place before the contract was awarded, describing the project as the most expensive road contract per kilometre in the country’s history.
Abdullahi’s comments followed statements by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, about adjustments to the highway’s alignment in response to difficult terrain and flooding concerns.
FG clarifies coastal highway route controversy
Umahi had said President Bola Tinubu directed that the highway should connect to the existing East-West Road between Ondo and Edo states rather than require an entirely new alignment along that stretch.
The minister attributed the decision to engineering difficulties, including challenging ground conditions, as well as concerns about flooding along parts of the existing road network.
However, in a subsequent clarification, Umahi insisted that the Federal Government had not abandoned the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He explained that the reconstruction of approximately 400 kilometres of the East-West Road was an additional project intended to improve connectivity and address flooding problems, rather than a replacement for the coastal highway.
The differing descriptions of the proposed route adjustment have heightened questions about the precise alignment, scope and relationship between the two projects.
Previous controversy over procurement and cost
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has faced scrutiny since the Federal Government announced the project, particularly over its cost, procurement process, environmental considerations and the demolition of structures along parts of its route.
In May 2024, the House of Representatives resolved to investigate the procurement process for the project, which was then reported to have a contract value of about ₦15 trillion. Lawmakers raised questions about compliance with procurement requirements and the approvals obtained for the project.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar also criticised the contract award in 2024, alleging that competitive bidding had not taken place and questioning the project’s cost and approval process.
The Federal Government has, however, defended its handling of the project. The Ministry of Works previously stated that it adopted a procurement framework suited to the engineering requirements of constructing a major highway through difficult coastal terrain.
According to the ministry, the contractor’s selection was recommended to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), which reviewed the recommendation and granted clearance, while the Federal Executive Council served as the final approving authority.
These competing positions place the procurement process at the centre of the continuing debate over the project.
ADC demands clarity on next steps
Abdullahi argued that the latest developments raised further questions about the government’s initial plans and the extent to which the public had been informed about changes affecting the project.
“How are they going to go? They say, ‘Oh, they suddenly found that they can no longer go along that road.’ But where did we do any competitive bidding for that contract?” he asked.
He maintained that the government should explain the circumstances surrounding the reported route adjustment and provide details of the contractual obligations and expected deliverables.
The ADC spokesman added that the party would watch how the government addressed the controversy in the coming days.
The renewed criticism comes as the Federal Government continues to defend the highway as a major infrastructure project intended to improve connectivity across Nigeria’s coastal states.
The key issues now include the precise scope of the route adjustment, the engineering justification for the changes, the project’s cost implications and the extent to which procurement and contract information is available for public scrutiny.
