Mirian Gom 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be tolled immediately when it is completed and officially inaugurated, Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said.
Umahi states this on Saturday during an inspection tour of the ongoing project in Lagos, stressing that tolling is a core component of the contract agreement with the construction firm.
“I must emphasise that this road is going to be tolled by the contractor; it is part of the package,”
Umahi says. “I do not want to open it permanently for traffic and then begin to discuss tolling.”
He explains that the contractor must submit a clear operational programme before the end of April, including the installation of tolling infrastructure ahead of commissioning.
“The contractor has to give us the programme and begin to build the infrastructure. As soon as we complete and commission this route, it will be tolled,” the minister adds.
Addressing concerns over cost implications following the realignment of sections of the highway, Umahi rules out any further increase in the project budget. He says re-measurements have been concluded and approvals obtained from the Bureau of Public Procurement.
“We are a country with many competing needs. There is no opening to increase the project further,” he states.
Umahi discloses that the project has already absorbed an additional ₦170 billion due to design diversions to protect high-rise buildings, extensive shoreline protection works, and the evacuation of deep refuse dumps stretching several kilometres.
“Hitech has to absorb these risks. That is part of its contribution to nation-building,” he says.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of Nigeria’s flagship infrastructure projects, designed to boost trade, tourism and connectivity along the southern corridor.
Hitech Construction Company Limited is handling the project.
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Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Hussaini Ibrahim