Makinde challenges Umahi over secrecy in Lagos-Calabar coastal highway cost

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has questioned the lack of transparency surrounding the cost of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, urging the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to “stop dancing around the figures” and give Nigerians a clear breakdown of expenditure.

In a viral video that surfaced on Friday, Makinde addressed the controversy that followed a televised confrontation between Umahi and Arise TV presenter, Rufai Oseni, earlier in the week. The heated exchange had drawn public attention after Umahi dismissed Oseni’s question about the cost per kilometre of the project, describing it as “elementary.”

Umahi, who identified himself as a “professor of practice in engineering,” argued that the cost could not be analysed per kilometre because each stretch of the road varied in terrain and construction demands. “How can you be asking for cost of kilometre? The prices are different. The next kilometre is different from the next kilometre,” he said.

The minister further scolded the journalist, saying, “Keep quiet and stop saying what you don’t know. I understand engineering very well. You have no knowledge of what you’re asking.”

Oseni, however, refused to back down, responding sharply, “Minister, it’s alright. Keep dignifying yourself, and let the world know who you truly are.”

Governor Makinde has now weighed in, insisting that Umahi’s evasiveness only fuels public suspicion. “They asked a minister how much the coastal road is, and then you are dancing around, saying the next kilometre is different from the next. Then what is the average cost?” Makinde queried.

Drawing from his own administration’s road projects, Makinde cited examples for context. “When we did the Oyo to Iseyin road, it was about N9.99 billion almost N10 billion for about 34 or 35 kilometres, with an average cost of N238 million per kilometre. But when we did Iseyin to Ogbomoso, that was 76 kilometres and cost about N43 billion roughly N500 million per kilometre and we had two bridges: one over the Ogun River and another at the Ogbomoso end.”

Last year, the Federal Government announced the commencement of the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, spanning nine states with two spurs extending to northern Nigeria. The first phase 47.47 kilometres of dual carriageway was handed to Hitech Construction Company Limited for execution in concrete pavement.

At the handover event, Umahi had reiterated the government’s commitment to timely completion, warning contractors against delays or requests for cost variations after mobilisation. However, despite these assurances, the exact financial structure of the project including total cost, cost per kilometre, and funding details remains unclear.

Makinde’s remarks have since rekindled public demand for transparency, as Nigerians continue to question why the Ministry of Works has refused to disclose a simple cost breakdown of one of the country’s most expensive infrastructure projects.