The Federal Government has renamed the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway in honour of President Bola Tinubu, citing his role in conceiving the idea for the project while he served as governor of Lagos State.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced the decision on Thursday during a media briefing in Abuja.
Umahi also disclosed that President Tinubu had approved the extension of the fourth legacy highway by an additional 400 kilometres, the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with reinforced concrete pavement, the completion of the abandoned Ibi Bridge in Taraba State, the construction of the 5.76-kilometre Lau Bridge, and the dualisation of another 400 kilometres of the East-West Road.
The minister explained that the decision to rename the coastal highway was to recognise Tinubu’s vision behind the major infrastructure project.
“That highway is named President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway,” he said.
“By the powers conferred on me as minister of works, in consultation with my permanent secretary, the minister of state, directors and staff of the ministry, we decided to name it after him because of his dream for it.”
Umahi stated that Tinubu developed the idea for the project nearly three decades ago during his tenure as Lagos governor.
“He had that dream about 27 years back as governor of Lagos state. It is one thing to dream and another thing to have the grace of God to actualise that dream. This is one man who dreams and has the grace and divine mandate to actualise that dream,” he said.
The minister added that construction work was ongoing across different sections of the 750-kilometre coastal highway, noting that the Victoria Island to Eleko village section in Lagos was being used as a model for modern highway development.
He said the Eleko to Lagos-Ogun boundary section had reached about 60 per cent completion and was expected to be substantially completed by November, while construction activities were also ongoing in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Ondo states.
Umahi further revealed that Tinubu had approved the extension of the fourth legacy highway by 400 kilometres, which would increase the strategic route to approximately 1,100 kilometres.
He said the various road infrastructure projects approved by the administration would enhance connectivity, promote national integration and support economic growth across the country.