By ARIT OTONG UBOK

71km of Lagos–Calabar Highway Under Development in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Officials Say

FEDERAL works officials have reported construction progress on Sections 3A and 3B of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, which together cover 71 kilometres across Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

The update came during a guided inspection by youths and women under the Community of Comrades South-South. The delegation, drawn from the region’s six states and 18 senatorial districts, visited the construction sites to assess the work and challenge claims that the highway ends at Lekki–Epe in Lagos.

Comrade Kevin Eyam, the group’s convener and Special Assistant to the Cross River State Governor on Student Affairs, led the tour alongside Hon. Gift Johnbull, the South-South Zonal Director for Infrastructure Mobilisation and Sensitisation for the Presidential Campaign Council 2027.

The participants said they wanted to see the project firsthand instead of depending exclusively on media reports and online commentary. Their visit also brought attention to construction milestones, engineering challenges, compensation and the highway’s proposed economic value to the Niger Delta.

Akwa Ibom Section Reports 18 Per Cent Completion

Engr. Okoduwa Vincent, the Federal Controller of Works in Akwa Ibom, said Section 3A had achieved approximately nine kilometres of Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP), with overall completion standing at 18 per cent.

The section stretches 41 kilometres within Akwa Ibom State. According to Vincent, the construction process begins with site clearance and the removal of unsuitable materials before engineers approve the subgrade and introduce the required sub-base.

In swampy areas, he explained, the process may involve removing unsuitable material to depths of up to seven metres. Contractors then place suitable materials, including dredged sand where necessary, before laying the concrete pavement.

These preparatory stages are essential to building a stable road foundation in difficult terrain. However, the reported 18 per cent completion rate also indicates that the section still has considerable work ahead.

Vincent said the 750-kilometre coastal highway alignment remained intact. He added that references by the works minister to a spur connecting to the East–West Road had been misconstrued as a change to the main route.

Cross River Reports Completed Pavement and Further Work Underway

In Cross River, Engr. Monday Ogbibe, representing the Federal Controller of Works, said five kilometres of CRCP had been completed in the Awi section of Section 3B.

Site engineer Engr. Charbel Karam provided further details about the construction. He said 6.5 kilometres of CRCP, alongside barriers, streetlights, walkways, V-drains and box culverts, had been completed on both sides of the section.

Karam added that another 15 to 20 kilometres had reached an advanced stage. He expected the remaining swampy stretch to be ready within two to three months.

Section 3B covers 30 kilometres in Cross River, bringing the combined length of Sections 3A and 3B to 71 kilometres.

Nevertheless, the reported figures should be read in context. The five-kilometre figure for the Awi section and the 6.5-kilometre figure cited by the Section 3B engineer may describe different construction measurements or work areas; the report does not reconcile the two figures.

A comprehensive project update showing completed lengths, work in progress and outstanding sections would therefore help the public track progress more precisely.

Highway Design Includes Lighting, Surveillance & Emergency Facilities

Beyond the pavement itself, Karam said the highway’s design included several features intended to improve safety and support road operations.

These include reinforced concrete pavement measuring 275 millimetres thick, solar lighting, CCTV cameras, relief stations, train tracks between the carriageways, cable channels and windmill energy.

He further stated that the emergency response system was designed to ensure that assistance reached incidents within 10 minutes.

Such facilities could improve the road’s functionality if contractors install them as planned and maintain them effectively. However, the site engineer’s description of the design does not by itself establish that every feature has been installed or commissioned.

The distinction matters because a highway’s value depends not only on the pavement but also on the availability and reliability of its safety, surveillance and emergency systems.

Compensation & Swampy Terrain Remain Key Issues

Vincent said 90 per cent of compensation due to affected property owners in Akwa Ibom had been paid. He attributed the outstanding 10 per cent to realignments intended to avoid deeper swamp areas.

He also said host communities had cooperated with the project.

The compensation update is significant because large infrastructure projects can affect homes, land use and local livelihoods. Timely payments and clear communication can help reduce disputes and maintain cooperation between contractors, authorities and residents.

Meanwhile, the swampy terrain presents a separate engineering challenge. The reported need to remove unsuitable material to considerable depths demonstrates the complexity of preparing a stable foundation before laying concrete pavement.

Although the project team expects the outstanding swampy section in Section 3B to be ready within two to three months, that timetable remains a forecast. Subsequent progress reports will be needed to determine whether contractors meet it.

South-South Groups Reject Claims That Highway Ends in Lagos

The guided inspection was also intended to address public arguments about the highway’s route and progress.

Johnbull said the delegation wanted to establish for itself whether construction extended beyond Lagos and whether contractors were using concrete pavement. She described the project as a long-overdue intervention for the Niger Delta and compared the region’s swampy landscape with other deltas where roads have been built.

She credited President Bola Tinubu’s political will, Works Minister Dave Umahi’s competence and contractor Hitech’s technology for the project’s construction approach.

“The East-West road is the spine of our region. For 20 years, four contractors have come with over 70% cost increase, yet we still have bad sections. But this time, we are using what does not fail – concrete roads and pylons,” she said.

Eyam, meanwhile, said the scale of activity he observed contradicted claims that the highway did not exist beyond Lagos. He also pointed to the presence of young workers and the reception the delegation received from local youths as signs of community engagement.

“I don’t need a soothsayer to tell me that Mr. President means well for Cross River State and Nigeria. Even street light poles are concrete. Young people are gainfully employed here. Upon hearing we arrived, youths mobilized to receive us – that shows acceptability and ownership,” he said.

The group subsequently urged Niger Deltans to support the project’s completion rather than spread what it considered misleading claims.

Leaders Anticipate Trade, Investment & Tourism Benefits

Traditional, women and youth leaders who participated in the inspection praised the Federal Government for undertaking the highway, describing it as a project with potential benefits for Nigeria’s wider economy.

They argued that better transport links could improve access to markets, encourage investment and support tourism across the South-South corridor. Moreover, reliable road infrastructure could ease the movement of goods and passengers between communities and commercial centres.

Johnbull also declared the South-South’s support for Tinubu, placing the group’s endorsement within the wider political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, political support and construction progress are separate questions. The project’s long-term value will depend on whether contractors complete the work to the required standards, whether promised facilities function effectively and whether the highway delivers the expected improvements in regional connectivity.

For now, federal officials have provided progress figures for the two sections, while the visiting groups have expressed confidence in the work they observed. Continued publication of verifiable construction milestones, compensation updates and completion timelines would give residents a clearer basis for evaluating the project as it advances.