Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed concerns that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway could be affected by flooding, insisting that the project was designed to withstand and help manage flood risks.
Umahi made the clarification while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on October 4, 2026.
According to the minister, the coastal highway is built with engineering features designed to manage stormwater and withstand flooding.
He also rejected claims that the highway was responsible for flooding in communities along its corridor, arguing that flooding existed in some of the affected areas before construction of the project began.
Umahi attributed the recurring flooding in parts of Lagos to factors including climate change, blocked drainage channels, indiscriminate waste disposal and developments around natural waterways.
He said the Federal Government was also working on drainage channels and other infrastructure along the corridor to improve the evacuation of floodwater into the lagoon.
The minister criticised what he described as uninformed commentary on social media, urging Nigerians to rely on technical assessments when discussing major infrastructure projects.
Umahi maintained that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway remains a major infrastructure project and assured Nigerians that flooding would not undermine its intended purpose.
