‘Coastal Highway project under Tinubu is scam’ – Babachir Lawal
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project as a “scam,” alleging that the Bola Tinubu administration lacks visible projects that positively impact the lives of Nigerians.
Speaking during an interview on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, which aired on Channels Television on Friday, Lawal questioned the federal government’s project record, stating he had not seen any significant road construction or rehabilitation in either the northern or southwestern parts of the country.
“If you ask me, ‘What projects has this government implemented so far that are visible to Nigerians and have impacted their lives?’ I cannot see any,” Lawal said.
He further criticized the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, claiming it had become a recurring campaign promise by successive governments without meaningful progress. “They are still talking about the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which it appears every government talks about and votes money for, and it never goes anywhere,” he said.
Referring specifically to the coastal highway, Lawal said, “Their so-called coastal road is just a scam. Every Nigerian knows it is a scam. Even before they started, we knew it would be a scam, and it has become a scam.”
President Tinubu had flagged off the first phase of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in May—a 30-kilometre stretch from Ahmadu Bello Way to the Eleko Village area in Lekki, Lagos. Lawal, however, dismissed its significance amid what he described as Nigeria’s mounting debt burden.
“You borrow money from Europe, and before it comes, it is spent over there. So, I don’t understand. What can Nigerians see?” he said. “It has become such that the President can go and commission 30 kilometres of a 700km road — which has even become a source of controversy. So, what are they doing with our money?”
Lawal’s remarks come amid growing scrutiny of the coastal highway project, which has faced criticism over displacement concerns, cost, and transparency in execution.
