President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians for continued patience with his administration, assuring that despite the current economic difficulties, meaningful progress is being made and positive outcomes are on the horizon.
Speaking during the inauguration of Phase 1, Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway—a 30-kilometre stretch of the 750-kilometre project—Tinubu acknowledged the struggles citizens are enduring but emphasized that there is real hope for improvement.
“I understand that expectations are still high, and many of our people are facing hardship,” he said. “I want to reassure Nigerians that hope is alive and achievable.”
The President pointed to signs of recovery in the economy, including a gradual decline in inflation, reforms in the foreign exchange market, and a significant reduction in corruption linked to fuel subsidies.
“You will soon see the benefits. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Inflation is easing, and we’ve cleaned up corruption in the forex and fuel subsidy systems,” he stated. “All these efforts are for you, the people. We’re lowering production costs and promoting local manufacturing. Incentives are being put in place to ensure everyone follows the right path.”
He also issued a clear warning to developers, stressing that any construction on federal land without proper authorization would not be eligible for compensation.
“Let me warn developers: federal land setbacks have been reinforced for the national interest. Any development without approval will not be compensated. These setbacks are officially published, and we will enforce them strictly,” Tinubu declared.
At the event, Minister of Works David Umahi described the highway as a six-lane project with a 60-meter-wide corridor. Addressing concerns about the Landmark property, he clarified that the only affected area was an illegal extension into the federal shoreline.
“Mr. President, we did not damage the Landmark property. Under your directive, we preserved existing infrastructure where possible, even when they violated the gazetted route,” Umahi said. “Their core infrastructure remains untouched; only the encroachment on the federal shoreline was removed. The Supreme Court has affirmed that 250 meters from the shoreline belong to the Federal Government.”
Umahi also mentioned that President Tinubu had instructed governors in states hosting major federal road projects to reserve 500 meters from the highway to facilitate future toll systems.
In a compassionate gesture, Tinubu ordered compensation payments for even unauthorized structures along the project route—something not required by law. Umahi revealed that ₦18 billion has already been paid out as compensation for the highway’s first phase.