By FastInfoMedia | October 12, 2026
Niger Delta leader demands restoration of original coastal route, arguing that bypassing vulnerable communities could undermine the project's developmental objectives.
The controversy surrounding the alignment of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway has intensified following strong objections from Comrade Tsaye Mene, Convener of the Warri Reclamation Thrust and former national executive of the Itsekiri National Youths Council (INYC).
Mene has accused the Federal Government of risking the exclusion of oil-producing coastal communities in Ondo and Delta states from a major infrastructure project presented as a significant investment in Nigeria's coastal transportation network.
Describing the reported decision to divert the highway inland after Lagos and Ogun states as an insult to the Itsekiri, Ilaje and Ijaw people, Mene argued that the proposed change could undermine the project's stated objective of opening up underserved coastal communities to transportation, commerce and economic development.
Her intervention raises broader questions about infrastructure planning, regional inclusion, environmental vulnerability and the distribution of economic benefits in the Niger Delta.
However, the central issue requires a clear distinction between Mene's allegations and the technical facts surrounding the highway's approved alignment. The precise route, the status of any proposed deviation and the official justification for the reported change must be established through project documents and statements from the relevant authorities.
WHAT EXACTLY IS CHANGING?
According to Mene, the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway was intended to connect coastal communities across several southern states, including Ondo, Delta and Bayelsa, before the reported alignment change redirected the route inland through Edo State towards the East-West Road.
She argued that such a change would fundamentally alter the project's developmental purpose by potentially leaving several coastal settlements outside its direct benefits.
"It is shocking and insulting that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, which was originally designed to follow the coastline through Ondo, Delta and Bayelsa oil-rich coastal communities, will now detour inland through Edo State to connect to the East-West Road," Mene stated.
The allegation is significant. Nevertheless, establishing whether the government has formally approved such a deviation, and whether it represents a complete replacement of the original route or a modification to a particular section, is essential to an accurate assessment.
A coastal highway does not necessarily follow the shoreline continuously. Engineering considerations, river crossings, wetlands, environmental restrictions, construction costs and connections to existing transport corridors can influence its alignment.
The decisive question, therefore, is whether the approved route will deliver the promised connectivity to the coastal communities it is intended to serve.
WHO BENEFITS FROM THE INVESTMENT?
At the heart of Mene's objection is a longstanding grievance in the Niger Delta: the perceived disparity between the region's contribution to national economic output and the infrastructure available to its communities.
Oil-producing areas in Delta, Ondo and Bayelsa states have significant economic importance to Nigeria. Yet many riverine settlements face serious transportation challenges, including inadequate road networks, dependence on boats, limited access to essential services and exposure to flooding and coastal erosion.
Mene contends that bypassing these communities would perpetuate this imbalance.
"The Itsekiri, Ilaje and Ijaw coastal communities are the backbone of this nation's economy. To use our resources to build a road and then deliberately bypass our communities is the highest form of injustice. It is unacceptable," she declared.
Her argument raises a legitimate public-policy question: how should the Federal Government balance national transport objectives with the need to connect economically important but historically underserved communities?
A major infrastructure project can generate national benefits through improved logistics, reduced travel times, increased commercial activity and stronger connections between regional markets. However, those benefits are not necessarily distributed equally.
Communities situated far from the completed road may experience limited direct improvements unless complementary infrastructure connects them to the highway.
For the riverine Niger Delta, the issue is particularly important because access roads, bridges, jetties and navigable waterways often determine whether residents can reach hospitals, schools, markets and employment opportunities.
If the final alignment excludes settlements that were initially expected to benefit, the government should explain what alternative infrastructure, if any, will provide equivalent access.
Conversely, if engineering evidence demonstrates that a modified alignment offers greater public value while maintaining effective connections to coastal communities, the authorities should make that evidence available for public scrutiny.
The debate should ultimately be resolved through verifiable project information rather than competing political assertions.
THE PROPOSED ROUTE: COMMUNITIES SEEKING RECOGNITION
Mene called for the restoration of what she described as the original coastal alignment through communities in Ondo and Delta states, identifying the following locations:
Araromi
Ugbonla
Awoye
Ilepete
Ikorigho
Obe-Rewoye
Odonla
Ogheye
Orere
Escravos, including Ugborodo
The Escravos terminal area
Forcados
Burutu
The Bayelsa border and the Nembe area
The proposed corridor, as described by Mene, reflects a demand for more direct transport links to communities that are frequently constrained by difficult terrain, waterways and limited road infrastructure.
However, the list should not be treated as a verified engineering alignment without comparison against official maps, feasibility studies, environmental assessments and the Federal Government's approved project documentation.
The geographical sequence, precise locations and proposed connections between these settlements also require technical verification.
That verification is essential because the difference between a highway passing through a community, running near it or connecting to it through an access road can have substantial implications for land acquisition, construction costs and the economic benefits residents ultimately receive.
For affected communities, the practical concern is straightforward: will the completed infrastructure provide reliable and affordable access to major markets, industrial facilities and regional transport networks?
UMAHI AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: ENGINEERING EFFICIENCY VERSUS COMMUNITY ACCESS
Mene also criticised the reported justification for the alignment change, referring to comments attributed to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
She argued that a decision presented as an engineering improvement could have adverse social and economic consequences for communities along the coast.
"Mr. Umahi may describe it as a wonderful engineering decision by Mr. President, but for us on the coast, it is a terrible social and economic decision that will deepen poverty, insecurity, and the feeling of exclusion," she said.
This criticism highlights a recurring challenge in infrastructure development: a route that appears advantageous from an engineering or financial perspective may not necessarily maximise social benefits across all affected regions.
At the same time, engineering decisions cannot be fairly evaluated without access to the underlying evidence. Construction feasibility, soil stability, bridge requirements, environmental risks, projected traffic, cost estimates and long-term maintenance obligations can all influence route selection.
The Federal Government should therefore clarify the precise nature of the reported alignment change and publish, where appropriate, the technical and economic considerations supporting it.
It should also explain how the final route will address the needs of settlements that may no longer have direct access to the highway.
A transparent assessment would help determine whether the reported change is a necessary engineering adjustment, a significant departure from the original development concept, or a combination of both.
COASTAL EROSION, FLOODING AND THE NEED FOR CONNECTIVITY
Beyond the immediate controversy, the debate touches on the wider vulnerability of Nigeria's coastal communities.
Several settlements along the Niger Delta and adjoining coastline face environmental pressures, including erosion, flooding and the degradation of local livelihoods. In some areas, limited transport infrastructure compounds these problems by making emergency response, relocation, commercial activity and access to public services more difficult.
Mene argued that the communities most affected by these challenges should not be excluded from a major project intended to improve coastal connectivity.
Her concern deserves consideration within a broader development framework.
However, a highway alone cannot resolve coastal erosion or flooding. Such problems may require complementary investments in drainage, shoreline protection, environmental management, resilient transport infrastructure and community adaptation.
The government must also assess whether particular road alignments could create additional environmental risks, disrupt wetlands or expose infrastructure to flooding and coastal processes.
The policy challenge is to ensure that improved connectivity supports long-term resilience rather than simply moving transport infrastructure through environmentally vulnerable areas.
A credible coastal development strategy should therefore integrate transport planning with environmental assessments and the socioeconomic priorities of affected communities.
CAN BETTER ROADS REDUCE EXCLUSION?
Mene warned that bypassing the communities could deepen poverty, insecurity and perceptions of marginalisation.
The relationship between infrastructure and security, however, is complex.
Poor connectivity can restrict legitimate economic opportunities, complicate access to public services and increase the costs of doing business. Improved transport links can help address some of these constraints.
Nevertheless, roads do not automatically eliminate insecurity. Sustainable improvements also depend on employment opportunities, accountable governance, effective law enforcement, public services and meaningful engagement with local populations.
The Federal Government should therefore evaluate the proposed highway not only in terms of construction and traffic efficiency but also in relation to its expected effects on employment, market access, local enterprise and community development.
Where communities were promised direct benefits, those commitments should be documented and measured against the project's final design.
THE EAST-WEST ROAD QUESTION
A central element of Mene's criticism is her insistence that the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway must not become an alternative branding exercise for the rehabilitation or extension of the East-West Road.
"We are appealing to Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to do the needful and keep his promise to the people. A Coastal Road must follow the coast. It must not become another East-West Road rehabilitation project rebranded as Coastal Road," she said.
The comparison raises an important distinction between two infrastructure objectives.
A regional highway can improve movement between major population centres and existing transport corridors. A coastal highway, depending on its approved design and objectives, may also be expected to improve access to communities that are otherwise difficult to reach.
These objectives can overlap, but they are not identical.
Connecting a new road to an existing highway may offer logistical advantages, while direct access to isolated coastal settlements may require additional construction, bridges or feeder roads.
Consequently, determining whether the reported alignment compromises the coastal highway's purpose requires more than comparing road names or geographical descriptions.
The relevant evidence includes the approved route, the project's stated objectives, the communities expected to benefit, the transport connections to be provided and the government's explanation of any significant revisions.
Without that information, it would be premature to conclude that the project has definitively been converted into an East-West Road rehabilitation scheme.
Nevertheless, the government has a responsibility to address the concerns publicly raised by communities that believe the project is departing from its original promises.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY
Mene's appeal is directed at President Tinubu, whom she urged to intervene and ensure that the highway delivers on its promised benefits for coastal communities.
"If this new agenda is allowed, it abandons the very communities that suffer sea incursion, lack roads but produce the oil which funds this all-important project," she argued.
The Federal Government now faces a broader public-accountability question: how will it demonstrate that the final highway alignment reflects both sound engineering and an equitable development strategy?
A credible response should address five key issues.
First, publish the approved alignment. An authoritative map should identify the route, its major connections, relevant construction phases and any changes from earlier proposals.
Second, explain the reasons for the reported deviation. The government should clarify whether the alignment has formally changed and, if so, provide the engineering, environmental, financial and transport-planning rationale.
Third, identify the communities that will benefit directly. The assessment should distinguish settlements located on the main route from those served through feeder roads or other transport links.
Fourth, disclose the socioeconomic impact assessment. The public should be able to understand how the project is expected to affect employment, market access, travel times, local businesses and vulnerable communities.
Fifth, consult affected communities. Traditional institutions, local governments, community organisations, transport stakeholders and representatives of the Itsekiri, Ilaje and Ijaw peoples should have an opportunity to present evidence and seek clarification.
These steps would help replace uncertainty and speculation with verifiable information.
A DEVELOPMENT PROMISE THAT REQUIRES TRANSPARENCY
The objections raised by Comrade Tsaye Mene bring an important regional concern into focus: major national infrastructure projects should be assessed not only by their construction costs and engineering achievements but also by the extent to which they deliver meaningful benefits to the populations they are intended to serve.
For coastal communities in Ondo and Delta states, the controversy is about more than the geographical position of a highway. It concerns access to markets, economic opportunities, public services and a fair share of the benefits associated with national development.
Mene's demand for a return to the proposed coastal corridor is a clear political position. Whether that route is technically feasible, represents the originally approved alignment or offers the greatest overall public benefit must be established through independent examination of the available evidence.
The Federal Government should respond with verifiable project information rather than dismissing the concerns as merely political opposition.
Ultimately, the test of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway will not be the name attached to it, but the connectivity it delivers, the economic opportunities it creates, the communities it serves and the transparency of the decisions that shape its construction.
For the Itsekiri, Ilaje and Ijaw communities, the demand is clear: infrastructure presented as a vehicle for coastal development must be accompanied by a credible explanation of how coastal populations will participate in and benefit from that development.
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