Tinubu gives green light to overhaul of Lagos-Ibadan highway with durable concrete surfacing

President Bola Tinubu has given the green light for a major expansion of the Fourth Legacy Highway, increasing its length by 400 kilometres to approximately 1,100 kilometres, according to Minister of Works David Umahi, who made the announcement on Thursday.

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The minister also revealed that the President has approved the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway using reinforced concrete pavement, as well as the completion of the abandoned Ibi Bridge in Taraba State, the construction of the 5.76-kilometre Lau Bridge, and the dualisation of an additional 400 kilometres of the East-West Road.

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Umahi described the approvals as a significant milestone in the Federal Government's infrastructure renewal programme, which aims to improve national integration, boost economic activities, and strengthen regional connectivity, further demonstrating Tinubu's commitment to delivering legacy infrastructure projects across all geopolitical zones.

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The expansion of the Fourth Legacy Highway was approved by the President on Wednesday, with Umahi hailing the decision as "unprecedented" and highlighting the project's potential to create stronger links between the North-Central and North-East regions.

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The new extension will take the highway through Taraba State, passing through several historic communities and prominent towns, including those associated with General Gowon, Solomon Lar, and the present National Chairman of the APC, before connecting to Taraba.

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The Fourth Legacy Highway was originally conceived as a dual carriageway linking Akwanga in Nasarawa State with Maiduguri in Borno State through Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, and Biu, and the additional 400 kilometres will further extend the corridor into Taraba State.

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Umahi also announced presidential approval for the complete reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which began deteriorating less than five years after rehabilitation, vindicating the ministry's insistence on using reinforced concrete pavement instead of asphalt for major highways.

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The existing asphalt pavement had repeatedly failed despite maintenance works, with Umahi noting that the 135-kilometre road had started failing just a few years after its completion, prompting the decision to reconstruct it using reinforced concrete pavement.

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Reinforced concrete pavement offers a more durable solution, with a lifespan of 50 to 100 years, maintenance-free, according to the minister, who argued that this approach is more cost-effective in the long run.

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Tinubu has also approved the completion of the abandoned Ibi Bridge project in Taraba State, which was awarded in 2018 but had reached only about 40 per cent completion before work stopped, with Umahi announcing that the President has given the go-ahead for the review and completion of the project.

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The minister further disclosed that the President has approved the construction of the Lau Bridge across the Benue River, a 5.76-kilometre project that will be designed, procured, and awarded, marking a significant investment in the region's infrastructure.

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The President has also given the green light for the dualisation of an additional 400 kilometres of the East-West Road corridor, a project that will improve safety, facilitate trade, and reduce travel time along one of Nigeria's busiest transport corridors, according to Umahi.

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Umahi announced that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will henceforth be known as the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway, in recognition of the President's long-standing vision for the landmark infrastructure project, which was conceived over two decades ago.

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The minister recalled that Tinubu had dreamed up the idea of the coastal highway 27 years ago while serving as Governor of Lagos State, and it is now becoming a reality, with work progressing simultaneously from different sections of the corridor.

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The first section of the coastal highway, stretching from Victoria Island to Eleko Village in Lagos State, has become a model for modern highway construction, with a 25-metre median reserved for a future railway line, according to Umahi, who described the project as "a beauty to behold".

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Section Two of the coastal highway, extending from Eleko Village to the Lagos-Ogun boundary, has reached about 60 per cent completion, with Umahi expressing confidence that the project will be finished by the end of November, except for some bridges due to their complexity.

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The corridor includes several mega bridges designed to withstand heavy industrial traffic around the Dangote Refinery axis, with Umahi explaining that the bridges have spans of 80 metres instead of the traditional 15 metres, and there are about nine mega bridges and flyovers in Section One and about 10 bridges in Section Two.

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Work has also progressed significantly on the Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, and Ondo sections of the project, with Umahi reporting that Section Three, covering 75 kilometres from Calabar, is about 30 per cent complete, while Section Four, spanning 82 kilometres through Ogun and Ondo states, has achieved about 20 per cent completion.

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The 180-kilometre Section Five in Akwa Ibom is also progressing, despite mobilisation funds yet to be released, according to the minister, who provided an update on the project's status.

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Umahi also gave updates on the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, describing it as the actualisation of a vision conceived more than five decades ago, which will reduce travel time between Sokoto and Lagos to about 10 hours at an average speed of 100 kilometres per hour.

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The project will improve connectivity between the North and the South, with work ongoing from Ilela to Sokoto, from Kebbi, and also from the Badagry end, marking a significant milestone in the country's infrastructure development.

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The minister also highlighted progress on the Trans-Sahara Highway, saying the project will significantly improve connectivity between the South-East and the Federal Capital Territory, with ongoing sections through Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu, and Kogi states set to drastically reduce travel time from the South-East to Abuja.

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The Federal Government's Legacy Projects comprise four flagship highway corridors designed to improve connectivity, stimulate economic growth, and strengthen national integration, including the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Trans-Sahara Highway, and the Akwanga-Maiduguri Highway.

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Since assuming office in May 2023, the Tinubu administration has prioritised large-scale road infrastructure under its Renewed Hope Agenda, with the Ministry of Works increasingly adopting reinforced concrete pavement technology for strategic highways, arguing that the method provides greater durability and lower maintenance costs than conventional asphalt roads.