By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Federal Government has warned that it may shut down Section One of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway following the death of a construction worker, a development that has heightened concerns over safety at the project site.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, disclosed this on Thursday, 22 January, 2026 while speaking on Channels Television, explaining that the fatal incident occurred during ongoing construction works on the coastal highway.
According to him, a speeding vehicle veered off the road, knocked down two concrete solar poles and struck the worker, killing him instantly.
Earlier, Umahi revealed that the ministry had considered closing the highway in December due to safety concerns. However, he said President Bola Tinubu directed that the road remain open to ease traffic flow in the area.
“We were tempted to close the coastal highway in December, but the president directed that we should not,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, detailing the circumstances surrounding the accident, Umahi stressed that the deceased worker was not on the carriageway at the time of the crash, noting that reckless driving posed a serious risk to lives at the construction site.
“Only today, the worst situation happened. The contractor was killed while working. He was totally off the carriageway. A very high-speed vehicle came, brought down two concrete solar poles, veered off again and killed the worker instantly,” he stated.
Following the tragedy, the minister said the Federal Ministry of Works had commenced engagements with the contractor to determine whether construction activities could safely continue.
According to him, the safety of workers remains non-negotiable.
“I’m here to have a meeting with the contractor because if the lives of their workers are not safe, then we refuse to work,” Umahi said.
Furthermore, the minister explained that the continued use of the road by motorists would depend on concrete assurances from the Lagos State Government and security agencies to enforce strict traffic control measures around the construction corridor.
Specifically, he noted that personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) would need to be deployed to curb excessive speeding, driving against traffic and other violations.
Consequently, Umahi warned that the ministry would not hesitate to close the highway should the situation fail to improve.
“If we’re able to calm the situation and appeal to the contractors, with assurances that Lagos state government, LASTMA, the police and road safety will be deployed to check these excesses and safeguard the workers, then we will allow traffic to flow,” he said.
However, he cautioned that persistent violations could lead to a temporary shutdown of the road.
“But if after one week the situation remains the same people driving against traffic and excessive speeding then we have no choice than to close the Lagos–Calabar coastal highway section one until we finish, probably in April,” Umahi added.
The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is a flagship infrastructure project of the Tinubu administration, aimed at improving connectivity and boosting economic activities along Nigeria’s coastal corridor.
