Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambitious Legacy Highway Programme is fundamentally transforming Nigeria’s transportation landscape by connecting all six geopolitical zones through an integrated road network designed to drive economic growth, regional integration and national development.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Umahi said the administration’s flagship road infrastructure projects have recorded significant progress, with construction actively ongoing across the four Legacy Highway corridors and additional strategic road projects recently approved by President Tinubu.
The minister described the highway programme as one of the most ambitious infrastructure initiatives in Nigeria’s history, noting that it is creating seamless connectivity between major economic corridors while opening up new opportunities for trade, tourism and investment.
“The entire four Legacy Projects are interconnected. When you look at the map, they form a network linking every geopolitical zone. This is about reshaping national connectivity and creating a new economic future for Nigeria,” Umahi said.
He disclosed that work is progressing steadily on the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, officially named the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway, with multiple sections already under construction.
According to him, the first section from Victoria Island to Eleko is rapidly taking shape, while the second section, stretching to the Ogun State border, is about 60 per cent completed and expected to be substantially delivered before the end of the year.
Umahi said construction is also advancing on other sections across Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Ondo States, while the remaining alignments are at advanced design stages.
Describing the project as the fulfilment of a long-held national vision, he credited President Tinubu with translating decades-old aspirations into reality.
“It is one thing to dream and another thing to have the grace to actualise that dream. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had this vision many years ago, and today Nigerians can see it becoming a reality,” he stated.
The minister also announced substantial progress on the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, revealing that construction has commenced simultaneously from both the Sokoto and Badagry ends of the corridor.
He said the Sokoto-Ilela section is nearing 70 per cent completion despite security challenges, while the Kebbi axis has exceeded 40 per cent completion, with work equally progressing on the Lagos end.
According to Umahi, once completed, the highway will significantly reduce travel time between Sokoto and Lagos.
“When this project is completed, Nigerians will be able to drive from Sokoto to Lagos in about ten hours. That is unprecedented in our country’s history,” he said.
On the Trans-Sahara Highway, Umahi disclosed that construction is ongoing across Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu and Kogi States, describing the project as a major boost for the South-East and a significant step towards integrating the region into Nigeria’s national transport network.
He noted that the highway would drastically shorten travel time between the South-East and Abuja while unlocking economic opportunities across the region.
The minister further announced that President Tinubu had approved an additional 400 kilometres of dual carriageway under the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri Super Highway, expanding the corridor to approximately 1,100 kilometres.
He said the newly approved alignment would extend through communities in Plateau and Taraba States while also facilitating the completion of critical bridge projects, including the long-abandoned Ibi Bridge and the proposed Lau Bridge in Taraba State.
Umahi also disclosed that the President recently approved two additional strategic highways in the South-East: the 150-kilometre Oba-Nnewi-Ozubulu-Okigwe Junction dual carriageway traversing Anambra, Imo and Abia States, and the 180-kilometre Otuocha-Anam-Ibaji Road, linking Anambra and Kogi States.
He said both projects would improve access to the Federal Capital Territory and strengthen regional commerce.
The minister further revealed that President Tinubu had approved the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway using reinforced concrete pavement under the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Finance (EPC+F) model, explaining that the technology would provide more durable highways capable of lasting between 50 and 100 years with minimal maintenance.
Umahi maintained that the administration’s infrastructure drive is laying the foundation for long-term national development and positioning Nigeria for sustained economic growth through improved connectivity.
“These projects are not just roads; they are economic corridors that will transform transportation, promote trade, connect communities and redefine national development for generations to come,” he said.
