The Federal Ministry of Works has granted approval for the temporary opening of a completed section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to alleviate severe traffic congestion in the Lekki area of Lagos.

According to a statement from the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, the measure follows a truck accident near the Chisco area of Lekki, which caused significant gridlock along major routes. To ease the situation, motorists are now being diverted to the completed portion of the new highway.

The ministry emphasized that the access is strictly temporary, limited to the completed and safe-to-use stretch of the road, and aimed solely at managing the current traffic disruption. Drivers have been advised to exercise patience and adhere to traffic management officials’ instructions.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of Nigeria’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, designed to span approximately 700 kilometers, connecting Lagos to Calabar and passing through several coastal states. The first section, measuring about 47.7 kilometers, runs from Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island to Eleko Village in Ibeju-Lekki.

Although parts of Section One were inaugurated recently, full operations have yet to begin. The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, previously explained that the highway would not be opened to the public until all critical segments were completed and safety measures fully in place. He stressed that the project is a controlled-access highway, not a township road, and would only be accessible via designated interchanges.

For now, the temporary opening provides much-needed relief to motorists facing prolonged congestion in the Lekki corridor. Authorities are expected to close the section once normal traffic flow resumes on the primary routes. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.