Residents of coastal communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have expressed disappointment over the Federal Government’s decision to divert sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway away from the shoreline. The communities had hoped the 750-kilometre highway would end decades of isolation and provide road access to areas where wooden canoes are still used to transport patients to hospitals, children to school and deceased persons for burial. Fishermen and oil-producing communities say the proposed route change has raised concerns about whether the project will deliver the access and development they had anticipated.
A fishermen’s leader in Ilaje, Agboola Abilogun, speaking through an interpreter, said residents had expected the highway to connect their communities to the road network and reduce their dependence on canoes. Another community member, Olorunfemi Ojajuni, said residents sometimes spend hours paddling to reach hospitals, including when women require medical attention during labour. He also explained that children travel across waterways to attend school and that canoes are used to transport bodies after deaths. The residents fear that an inland route could leave their communities without the direct road access they have long awaited.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, confirmed that Sections 4A and 4B, covering 67 kilometres across Ogun and Ondo states, would be diverted towards the Ondo-Edo axis. He defended the decision, citing difficult terrain and deep pits exceeding 100 metres, which he said would significantly increase construction costs. Umahi also said the government was addressing challenges along the existing East-West Road, including flooding, and had considered raising sections of the road to reduce flood risks. The proposed route changes have, however, drawn objections from community leaders and other stakeholders who argue that coastal settlements could be bypassed.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa described the reported realignment as a potential act of sabotage in an open letter dated October 13, arguing that the issue involved the development needs of communities that have long faced geographical isolation. Former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke also questioned why the existing East-West Road had not been considered from the beginning. The Ijaw Youths Council and other stakeholders have opposed the diversion, while a group of lawyers and community representatives from Ilaje has called on the Federal Government to restore the original coastal alignment. They argue that the highway should directly benefit coastal communities in Ondo and other oil-producing areas.
Amid the controversy, the Presidency clarified that President Bola Tinubu had not directed that the entire 750-kilometre coastal highway be diverted to the East-West Road, describing the East-West reconstruction as an additional project. Umahi has also maintained that the coastal highway remains part of the government’s infrastructure programme, with construction continuing on various sections. He reported progress on the Lagos, Ogun, Cross River and Akwa Ibom portions of the project. Despite these assurances, residents of the affected coastal communities continue to seek clarity on the final alignment and whether the highway will provide the direct road access they expected.
