The Federal Government has announced a change in the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway route to avoid damaging submarine cables. Minister of Labour Dave Umahi, made the announcement at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos.
According to Umahi, the government will abandon the proposed new route from kilometers 16 to 25 and return to the original gazetted alignment. This decision was made after a two-hour session with stakeholders, including telecommunications companies and residents of the Okun Ajah community.
The change is necessary to protect critical infrastructure, including the 2Africa submarine cable, West African Cable Systems (WACS), and a 50-megawatt power plant supporting these cables at Mopo. Tampering with this infrastructure could have national security implications and affect internet connectivity across Africa.
Reverting to the old alignment will result in the demolition of 750 illegally built houses, while the new alignment would demolish 490 houses.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project spans 700 kilometers and passes through nine states. Construction began in March 2024, starting with the first phase of the project, which stretches 47.47 kilometers from Lagos.
Since it began, the project has faced criticism from various quarters, including from Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, presidential candidates in the 2023 elections. However, the government has addressed the concerns by reverting to the original route, to ensure the protection of critical infrastructure and for national security.
