Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has slammed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, calling it a scam and saying it does not serve the real needs of Nigerians.
Lawal made the comments during a televised interview on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, where he questioned the transparency and usefulness of the ₦15 trillion project.
“If you ask me what projects this government has done that are visible and have changed lives, I can’t point to any,” Lawal said. He added that even in the northern parts of Nigeria, where he travels regularly, he sees little or no progress on road construction.
“In the South-West, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is still being talked about, just like in every administration. Money is always budgeted for it, but nothing ever happens,” he said.
Lawal specifically targeted the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, saying the project has been suspicious from the start. “Even before they started, we knew it would be a scam, and it has become a scam,” he stated.
The highway project was flagged off by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025, beginning with a 30-kilometre section from Ahmadu Bello Way to Eleko Village in Lagos. It is part of a larger 700-kilometre plan, with an estimated cost of ₦15 trillion. In June, the Federal Government took a \$747 million loan to fund part of the project.
Lawal questioned the value Nigerians are getting from such loans. “You borrow money from Europe, and before it comes, it is spent over there. What can Nigerians point to as the result? What are they doing with our money?” he asked.
The project has also drawn criticism from other political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Property owners affected by the construction have protested demolitions and demanded compensation.
However, the Federal Government has defended the highway, saying it will boost economic growth. Minister of Works, David Umahi, described it as a “catalyst for growth” and said Nigerians will see its benefits with time.
“When people stop the suspicion and truly understand the coastal road, they will realise it is for the good of every state,” Umahi said in December 2024.
For now, doubts remain, especially as critics like Babachir Lawal insist that massive spending should match visible progress on the ground.