Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has criticised the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for failing to clearly disclose the cost breakdown of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, recently approved by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking at an event in a now-viral video on Friday, Makinde said there was no reason for Umahi to be evasive about the figures, adding that Nigerians deserve transparency on the multi-trillion-naira infrastructure project.
His comments followed a widely discussed exchange on Tuesday between Umahi and Arise TV anchor, Rufai Oseni, who had asked the minister to provide a per-kilometre cost analysis of the highway. Umahi declined, saying costs varied across different sections and were too complex for the journalist to understand. He dismissed the question as “elementary” and accused Oseni of lacking knowledge in engineering, even referring to himself as a “professor” of the field.
“You have no knowledge of what you’re asking,” Umahi told the anchor during the heated exchange.
In response, Oseni retorted: “Minister, it’s alright, keep dignifying yourself, and let the world know who you truly are.”
Defending Oseni’s line of questioning, Makinde pointed out that providing an average cost would have addressed the public’s concerns.
“They asked a minister how much the coastal road is, and then you start dancing around it, saying each kilometre is different. Then what is the average cost?” Makinde queried.
Citing examples from his own administration, the governor explained that the Oyo-Iseyin road project cost approximately ₦9.99 billion for 34–35 kilometres, averaging around ₦238 million per kilometre. Meanwhile, the 76-kilometre Iseyin-Ogbomoso road cost about ₦43 billion, averaging ₦500 million per kilometre, with two major bridges included.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, announced by the Federal Government last year, spans 700 kilometres across nine states with additional spurs connecting to the north. The first phase, a 47.47km stretch of dual carriageway using concrete pavement, was awarded to Hitech Construction Company Limited.
In a statement by his media adviser, Uchenna Orji, Umahi had stressed the importance of timely delivery and warned contractors against delays that could lead to cost variations after mobilisation.
