The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has forcefully dismissed claims that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is responsible for the persistent flooding in Lagos, insisting that the city’s flood crisis predates the project and cannot be blamed on its construction.
Speaking during the flag-off of the second phase of the Babban Lamba–Sharam Road rehabilitation in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, Umahi described the allegations as misleading, arguing that Lagos has battled flooding for decades due to its geographical location and environmental realities.
“The floods in Lagos have been there before the coastal highway. It was there yesterday, it is there today, and it will also be there tomorrow. It’s like the natural disasters in other countries, such as earthquakes,” the minister declared.
His remarks came amid mounting criticism from residents, environmental advocates and opposition voices, who have linked the recent devastating floods across parts of Lagos to the construction of the multibillion-naira coastal highway.
Determined to counter the claims, Umahi later led members of the National Assembly Committees on Works, officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment and other stakeholders on an on-the-spot inspection of the highway corridor in Lagos, where he again insisted that the project was designed to reduce—not worsen—flooding.
According to the minister, the highway was deliberately elevated and equipped with modern engineering features, including drainage systems and culverts, to prevent ocean surges from spilling into adjoining communities and to improve the evacuation of floodwaters. He argued that indiscriminate dumping of refuse, blocked drainage channels, rapid urban development and the non-implementation of parts of Lagos’ flood management plan are the major drivers of the recurring floods.
The inspection followed a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after widespread public concern and social media claims alleged that the highway had aggravated flooding in several parts of Lagos.
Despite Umahi’s defence, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway remains one of Nigeria’s most controversial infrastructure projects, with critics continuing to question its environmental impact, cost and long-term consequences, while the Federal Government insists it is a strategic project designed to protect coastal communities, boost economic growth and strengthen transport connectivity across the southern corridor.