Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has never been one to hold back, and even at 88, he’s still calling out what he sees as reckless governance. This time, his target is the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway—a jaw-dropping N15 trillion project that has left many Nigerians wondering: Is this a visionary leap or just another highway to nowhere?
Speaking at his birthday celebration, Obasanjo criticized the decision to embark on a 700-kilometer coastal highway while Nigeria’s existing roads are falling apart.
“A project that will gulp such an amount at this time needs serious reconsideration,” he said. “We have roads in a deplorable state across the country. Why spend billions on a new coastal highway when existing critical routes remain impassable?”
A Country of Abandoned Projects
Obasanjo’s skepticism isn’t baseless. Nigeria has a track record of grand projects that never get completed.
From the infamous Ajaokuta Steel Complex, which swallowed billions but never produced a single steel rod, to the East-West Road, which has been under construction for over 40 years, Nigeria has a history of infrastructure failures.
Take the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway—a major commercial artery that has been under construction for over a decade, with no end in sight, announced in 1978, took over four decades to complete.
With this history, why should anyone believe that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be any different?
The Lagos-Calabar Highway; A Misplaced Priority?
One of the biggest criticisms of this project is its timing.
Nigeria is grappling with record inflation, a collapsing naira, and an infrastructure crisis that has left thousands of roads nearly impassable. Fuel prices are soaring, food costs are unbearable, and insecurity has made highway travel a literal death sentence.
Yet, the government wants to throw N15 trillion at a brand-new road?
A civil engineer familiar with Nigeria’s road projects put it bluntly: “It’s not about whether we need a coastal highway. The real question is, do we have the discipline and integrity to execute it properly? Because history suggests we don’t.”
For many Nigerians, the Lagos-Calabar Highway isn’t just a road; it’s a metaphor for a system that prioritizes flashy projects over real solutions.
And let’s not forget the hidden costs—because if history is anything to go by, N15 trillion is just the starting price.
A Contractor’s Gold Mine?
Nigerian infrastructure projects are notorious for inflated contracts and shady procurement processes.
Who will be awarded these contracts? Who benefits politically? Will this be another case of non-competitive bidding, inflated costs, and endless delays?
A former government contractor admitted: “Every big project in Nigeria comes with ‘extra costs.’ Budgets get inflated, deadlines get extended, and before you know it, the project is either abandoned or costs twice as much.”
If the Lagos-Calabar Highway follows this pattern, it could easily become one of Nigeria’s most expensive financial blunders.
Who Really Wins?
Massive infrastructure projects in Nigeria aren’t always about the people. They’re often about who gets the contracts, who benefits politically, and who secures a financial windfall.
Meanwhile, thousands of communities along the proposed route are left wondering: Will they be fairly compensated, or will they be displaced overnight?
One resident of a coastal community in Lagos shared his fears: “We’ve seen what happens with these projects. They take the land, promise development, and then leave us worse off than before.”
The Real Roadmap Nigeria Needs
Obasanjo’s frustration is shared by many Nigerians. Nobody is saying new roads aren’t important—but what good is a shiny new highway when existing ones are death traps?
Instead of pouring trillions into a new project, why not:
- Fix the existing federal highways that millions use daily?
- Ensure better maintenance of the roads we already have?
- Hold contractors accountable for delays and substandard work?
The reality is simple: Grand projects don’t build a nation—good governance does.
Obasanjo’s criticism isn’t just about one road—it’s about a system that consistently puts politics over progress. Until that changes, Nigerians have every reason to be skeptical.
Because in this country, big promises don’t build roads. Money does. And too often, that money ends up in the wrong hands.
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