As part of the second phase of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to construct an 80-meter bridge near the Dangote Refinery. This project, announced by the Minister of Works Engr. David Umahi at a stakeholder meeting in Lagos, is intended to facilitate uninterrupted truck traffic to and from the refinery.
Minister Umahi explained that the planned 80-meter bridge, a component of Phase 2 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project, is intended to ease truck traffic flow in the vicinity of the Dangote Refinery, thereby improving logistics and mitigating potential traffic congestion.
He stated, “During the development of Phase 2, which traverses the Lekki Free Zone, it became necessary to design an 80-meter span bridge across the refinery access point to ensure uninterrupted truck movement.”
The Minister further noted that the bridge’s design incorporated consideration of existing infrastructure and environmental factors. Specifically, he cited the rerouting of the road to avoid both Navy land and a school, demonstrating the government’s commitment to minimizing disruption. Minister Umahi also provided an update on the progress of Phase 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road within Lagos.
Minister Umahi reported that the construction of Phase 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, a 47.47-kilometre stretch terminating at Eleko Junction (the beginning of Phase 2), commenced in March 2024 by Hitech. He projected that 30 kilometers of this section will be ready for commissioning by May 2025, indicating substantial progress.
Furthermore, he acknowledged the challenges encountered during construction, specifically noting that over 10 kilometers of Phase 1 were covered by topsoil resulting from years of refuse dumping. This required the contractor to excavate up to 10 metres and subsequently refill the area with sand to the appropriate ground level before construction could proceed.
Due to the necessity for ground settlement, work on these affected areas was temporarily suspended by mutual agreement between the government and the contractor. However, Minister Umahi confirmed that recent settlement tests have demonstrated 100% stability, allowing construction to resume.
He announced that 30 kilometres of the 47.47-kilometre section are slated for commissioning by President Bola Tinubu in May. The remaining 17.47 kilometres, he added, have been completely sand-filled up to Eleko Junction.
