Human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has alerted President Bola Tinubu to the reported realignment of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway away from the coastal communities of Ondo and Delta States.
According to him, there is a need to ensure that the original coastal development objectives of this historic national project are not lost in the process of implementation.
The lawyer noted that the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway was conceived as a transformative infrastructure project intended to connect communities and economic centres along Nigeria’s Atlantic coastline.
At its official flag-off in May 2024, the Federal Government described the highway as a 700-kilometre corridor designed to traverse coastal states and unlock their economic potential.
"The project’s stated vision therefore raises legitimate questions about the consequences of shifting sections of its alignment inland and away from communities that stand to benefit directly from coastal connectivity," Adegboruwa said.
Noting the dangers of neglecting the coastal communities, Adegboruwa said Ondo and Delta states possess significant coastal resources, including fishing grounds, maritime opportunities, tourism assets, and communities whose livelihoods depend on access to the Atlantic coastline and its waterways. He said a substantial shift away from these areas could reduce the direct economic benefits available to coastal settlements, limit their access to emerging commercial corridors, and weaken opportunities for local businesses, transportation operators, farmers, fishers, and investors.
"For the people of Ilaje and other coastal communities in Ondo State, as well as coastal communities in Delta State, the concern is not merely about where a road passes. It is about whether the promise of national infrastructure will translate into tangible development for the people whose geographical position makes them natural stakeholders in a coastal highway project. The reported realignment will be nothing short of sabotage," he said.
"Your Excellency, a highway conceived as a coastal economic corridor should be assessed not only by the kilometres constructed but also by the extent to which it connects coastal communities, supports maritime commerce, promotes tourism, and stimulates development along the shoreline. Moving the alignment inland may offer certain engineering or cost advantages in particular locations. However, such changes should be supported by transparent technical assessments and a clear demonstration that the long-term economic and social interests of affected coastal communities have been adequately protected.
We recognise that the Federal Government has cited difficult terrain, weak subsoil conditions, construction costs, and flood resilience as considerations in reviewing parts of the alignment. These matters deserve serious engineering attention. Nevertheless, engineering challenges should prompt a careful evaluation of alternatives rather than the automatic loss of coastal access and development opportunities. There is nothing special about the coastlines of Ondo and Delta States when compared with Lagos.
"Ondo and Delta States have the potential to benefit from improved coastal transportation, fisheries, agricultural distribution, tourism, maritime services, and related industries. A route that bypasses important coastal settlements could reduce the opportunities for these communities to attract private investment, develop transport-linked enterprises, and participate fully in the economic benefits expected from the project."
Adegboruwa urged the Federal Government to commission a comparative assessment of the proposed coastal and revised inland alignments, examining construction costs, long-term maintenance, journey times, environmental implications, employment, commercial opportunities, and the distribution of benefits among affected states. He said such an assessment would help establish whether the proposed changes provide the greatest overall public benefit or whether alternative engineering solutions could preserve coastal connectivity without compromising safety or value for money.
"The coastline is an environmentally sensitive area. Decisions concerning the highway must account for coastal erosion, flooding, wetlands, mangrove ecosystems, fisheries, drainage systems, and the effects of climate change. At the same time, constructing or raising a road inland does not automatically eliminate environmental risks. Every proposed alignment should be supported by appropriate environmental and social impact assessments, including an evaluation of its consequences for communities, ecosystems, drainage, and future flood exposure.
"I urge the Federal Government to make the findings of relevant technical and environmental studies available to the public and to consult affected communities before finalising major changes to the route," he said.
Adegboruwa said that if coastal settlements in Ondo and Delta States are excluded from the direct benefits of a highway originally presented as a coastal development corridor, there is a legitimate concern that economic opportunities may be distributed unevenly.
"The objective should not be to create competition between states or communities. Rather, it should be to ensure that engineering decisions, public expenditure, and infrastructure planning serve the broader national interest while giving due consideration to the people whose livelihoods and development prospects are affected.
"In view of these concerns, I respectfully request that Your Excellency:
1. Order an independent technical review of the reported realignment affecting the coastlines of Ondo and Delta States, including the original design, revised route, engineering justification, and financial implications.
2. Direct the Federal Ministry of Works to publish a clear explanation of the approved alignment and identify the coastal communities that will be directly served or bypassed by the highway.
3. Consider restoring or retaining a viable coastal alignment through appropriate parts of Ondo and Delta States wherever technically, environmentally, and economically feasible.
4. Convene a stakeholder consultation involving the Federal Government, the governments of Ondo and Delta States, traditional rulers, coastal community representatives, engineers, environmental experts, investors, and other relevant stakeholders.
5. Require a transparent comparison of alternative routes, including construction and maintenance costs, environmental and social impacts, climate resilience, access to coastal communities, and expected economic benefits.
6. Provide complementary access roads and economic infrastructure for any coastal communities that cannot be served directly by the final alignment, so that they are not left isolated from the opportunities created by this national investment.
7. Ensure equitable distribution of development benefits, including employment, local enterprise opportunities, transport connectivity, and supporting infrastructure for affected coastal settlements.
"I am not asking the Federal Government to disregard legitimate engineering considerations. I am asking that those considerations be weighed transparently against the original objectives of the project and the rights and development aspirations of the affected communities," he said.
The lawyer urged President Tinubu to intervene and ensure that the coastal interests of Ondo and Delta states receive a fair, evidence-based, and transparent assessment before irreversible decisions are made.
He said a coastal highway should create opportunities for coastal communities, not leave them wondering whether the promise of development has passed them by.
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