The Federal Government’s decision to demolish buildings within a 15-metre setback from the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to accommodate service lanes has sparked fresh anxiety and debate among property owners, professionals and investors over the design integrity, planning, and execution of one of Nigeria’s most ambitious road infrastructure projects.
According to report, the demolition, which will affect between 1700 and 2700 houses, is already a source of apprehension for residents and landlords on the extended corridor.
However, stakeholders welcome the update with mixed reactions. While transport planners acknowledge that properly designed service lanes would deliver substantial long-term benefits along the corridor, others suspect a faulty design that warrants service-lane redress, with attendant consequences for both the government and property owners.
Minister of Works, David Umahi on Tuesday disclosed that structures within the newly identified setback would be removed to make way for service roads designed to improve accessibility and traffic safety along the corridor.
Umahi disclosed that some buildings would have to give way to accommodate service lanes and drainage channels, adding that affected property owners would be compensated in line with the law.
A conservative estimate from stakeholders indicated that there are at least 700 houses on the right-of-way and an additional 1,700 within the 15-metre setback.
The Federal Government maintained that the additional lanes are necessary to support efficient traffic movement and provide access to adjoining communities.
The government reiterated that the project remains a transformational project expected to improve regional connectivity, stimulate tourism, facilitate trade and unlock new economic opportunities along Nigeria’s southern coastline.
The President Bola Tinubu-led administration began the project in 2023 as one of the government’s flagship infrastructure projects. Construction officially commenced in March 2024, with the first phase covering 47.47 kilometres from Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island, Lagos, to Eleko Junction in Ibeju-Lekki. The project is being executed by Hitech Construction Company Limited under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPC+F) arrangement.
The highway is planned to span about 700 kilometres, traversing nine coastal states: Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.
The first 47.47km section was awarded at N1.068 trillion, translating to more than N22 billion per kilometre. However, the government said this figure includes compensation, bridges, interchanges, shoreline protection, utility relocation, drainage, lighting and other ancillary work.
Speaking on the new development, built environment experts stated that on major expressway projects, service roads are typically incorporated during the conceptual and detailed design stages. Their inclusion determines the overall right-of-way, influences environmental and social impact assessments, guides land acquisition and compensation, and shapes engineering drawings before construction begins.
For a better society
_______________________________
Follow us across our platforms:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/championnewsonline/
Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/championnewsonline
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-newspapers-limited/
https://x.com/championnewsng/
You can also like and comment on our YouTube videos.
https://youtu.be/QIBfD1tT80w?si=R4Qf3so2LxYu3GC2
