The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project promises significant benefits for Nigeria's infrastructure and economy, the lack of transparency in its procurement process and the apparent bypassing of due process have raised serious concerns about its implementation and oversight. The entire 700-kilometer highway is expected to be completed in 2032, as the project has an eight-year timeline from its start in 2024.

The following are the issues identified with this project:

• Lack of Competitive Bidding
  The contract for the 700-kilometer highway project, estimated to cost N15.6 trillion, was awarded without a competitive bidding process. This directly contravenes the Public Procurement Act (PPA), which mandates competitive bidding as a fundamental principle for government contracts.

• Single-Source Procurement
  Minister of Works David Umahi confirmed that the contract was awarded on a single-source basis. While the PPA does allow for special and restricted methods of procurement in certain cases, single-source procurement is only permitted in specific emergencies outlined in Sections 42 and 43 of the Act. Critics argue that none of these lawful grounds apply to this contract award.

• Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)
  The project commenced without completing the required Environmental and Social Impact Assessment. The Ministry of Works only began soliciting residents for a scoping study to generate this crucial data after construction had already started.

• Cost Concerns
  There are discrepancies in the reported cost per kilometer. While former Vice President Atiku Abubakar claimed the cost was N8 billion per kilometer, Minister Umahi stated it was N4 billion per kilometer. This discrepancy raises questions about the transparency of the project's financials.

• Calls for Halting the Project
  Funso Doherty, a former gubernatorial candidate, has called on the Attorney General of the Federation to advise the government to halt the project and subject it to due process, including competitive bidding as required by law.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project