- Atiku Abubakar said the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway cost remains unclear and should be published for public scrutiny.
- The former vice president noted that Minister of Works David Umahi has now admitted the project cost is close to ₦8 billion per kilometre.
- Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of concealing key details about funding and contracts.
- He called for an independent audit and suspension of payments until Nigerians get full disclosure.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded that the Federal Government release full details of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project, including its contractual terms, financial structure, and the identities of the financiers involved.
Atiku’s demand comes amid renewed public debate about the cost of constructing a kilometre of the highway, which he described as “outrageously inflated.”
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In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said he was deeply concerned about the reaction of the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, to citizens’ questions regarding the true cost of the project.
“When the Tinubu administration unveiled the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project, I raised concerns that the project’s cost was inflated to about ₦8 billion per kilometre,” the statement read. “At that time, the minister dismissed my claim, insisting it was only ₦4 billion. Now, the same minister has admitted that the actual cost is closer to ₦8 billion, which validates my earlier position.”
Atiku said Umahi’s new stance not only vindicates him but also exposes what he called a lack of transparency in the handling of one of Nigeria’s largest infrastructure projects.
He added that both the financing structure and contractual model of the coastal highway remain shrouded in secrecy, raising concerns that the project may benefit a few individuals rather than the Nigerian public.
“Even by the minister’s own account,” Atiku noted, “the Federal Government’s contribution is between 15% and 30% of the total cost, while the contractor will supposedly source the rest. Nigerians deserve to know who these financiers are, what sovereign guarantees are in place, and why the total cost jumped to my projected figure.”
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Atiku stressed that his demand was not political but patriotic, emphasising that “every inflated contract is theft from the Nigerian people.”
He called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to publish the full details of the agreement, including payment terms and counterpart obligations, and to allow an independent value-for-money audit before any further disbursement of funds.
