In a bold public statement, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has openly criticized Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, for failing to provide a transparent cost breakdown of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, a 700-kilometre infrastructure initiative spanning nine states.
Governor Makinde’s remarks came in response to a heated exchange earlier this week between Minister Umahi and Arise TV journalist Rufai Oseni, who had requested a kilometre-by-kilometre cost analysis of the highway. Umahi dismissed the inquiry as “elementary,” claiming the costs varied due to terrain and engineering complexities, and were too technical for public understanding.
Makinde, speaking at a public event captured in a viral video, defended the journalist’s line of questioning and emphasized the importance of public accountability. “They asked a minister how much the coastal road is, and then you are dancing around and saying the next kilometre is different from the next kilometre. Then what is the average cost?” Makinde asked pointedly.
Makinde’s intervention has reignited public scrutiny over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which was awarded to Hitech Construction Company and is being constructed with concrete pavement. The first phase, comprising 47.47 km, has already received significant funding, yet questions persist over the total project cost, estimated to exceed ₦14 trillion.
The governor’s comments have been widely interpreted as a call for greater fiscal transparency and technical accountability in federal infrastructure projects. His stance aligns with growing public demand for clarity on how taxpayer funds are being utilized, especially amid rising economic pressures and proposed tax reforms.