President Tinubu is set to commission a mere 30-kilometre stretch of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway today, May 31, 2025 a move that has ignited a firestorm of controversy and skepticism across Nigeria.
According to report on May 31, While government officials are touting this event as a milestone in national infrastructure, critics argue it is little more than a political spectacle designed to distract from deeper issues of corruption, mismanagement, and misplaced priorities
A Project Mired in Scandal and Suspicion
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, originally envisioned as a 750km artery to connect nine states and foster regional integration, has become a lightning rod for accusations of government waste and elite self-enrichment.
Despite its grand billing as one of President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” legacy projects, only a tiny fraction 30km has been completed and is ready for public use
Even the manner of today’s commissioning is raising eyebrows.
President Tinubu, celebrated as both the “initiator” and “actualizer” of the project, will not be present in person but will instead commission the highway virtually from the comfort of his office.
For many, this virtual ribbon-cutting is emblematic of a government that is out of touch with the hardships facing ordinary Nigerians.
Conflict of Interest and Opaqueness
One of the most explosive allegations surrounding the project is the reported involvement of Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, with CKD Industries; a subsidiary of Hitech the very company awarded the highway contract.
Opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, have repeatedly slammed the project’s lack of transparency.
They argue that the contract was awarded without a competitive bidding process, in violation of due process, and that the true cost of the project remains shrouded in secrecy.
The government has already released over N1 trillion for just the pilot phase about 6% of the total project without sufficient oversight or clarity on how the funds are being spent.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has gone even further, calling the N15.6 trillion project “wasteful and corrupt,” and accusing the Tinubu administration of using it as a conduit for embezzlement and patronage.
In his new book, Obasanjo paints a damning picture of a government more interested in “chopping” public funds than delivering real value to its people.
Displacement and Social Cost
Beyond the financial scandals, the human cost of the highway project is deeply troubling.
Entire communities along the route have been displaced, often with little warning or compensation, to make way for construction.
Legal battles are ongoing, with residents of Okun-Ajah and other affected areas challenging what they describe as unlawful land grabs and forced evictions.
For many, the project symbolizes not development, but elite disregard for the rights and livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians.
A Pattern of Misplaced Priorities
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is not the only project under scrutiny.
The Tinubu administration has also been criticized for spending N21 billion on a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, even as millions of Nigerians struggle with poverty, inflation, and collapsing public services.
Critics argue that these grand infrastructure unveilings are little more than expensive photo ops, designed to create the illusion of progress while ignoring the country’s most pressing needs.
Public Distrust and Political Fallout
As the government prepares to celebrate the completion of just 30km out of a promised 750km, public outrage continues to mount.
Many Nigerians see the project as a symbol of everything that is wrong with the country’s leadership: a toxic mix of corruption, nepotism, and indifference to the suffering of the masses.
Labour unions, civil society groups, and opposition politicians are all demanding greater transparency, accountability, and a genuine commitment to inclusive development.
Conclusion: a Dream Deferred
While government officials insist that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will eventually transform Nigeria’s transportation landscape, the reality on the ground tells a different story.
For now, the project remains a monument to controversy, elite self-congratulation, and public distrust.
As President Tinubu commissions this small section of highway, the question on everyone’s lips is whether this is genuine progress or just another chapter in Nigeria’s long history of broken promises and squandered opportunities.
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