The long-anticipated rehabilitation and expansion of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway into a six-lane highway is set for completion by April, with President Bola Tinubu scheduled to inaugurate the project in May as part of activities marking his second year in office.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, made this announcement on Thursday during an inspection tour of the expressway. According to him, the first section of the 46-kilometer stretch, which forms part of the ECOWAS highway leading to the Seme Border and extending to Abidjan, is on track for timely completion.
Umahi revealed that the contractor handling the project has already received N50 billion out of the total contract sum of N71 billion. He noted that the contractor had demonstrated impressive capacity in delivering quality work within the stipulated timeline.
“The contractor has been paid about N50 billion, which means that the remaining balance required to complete the job is N21 billion. We have scheduled a meeting with the contractor to finalize plans for the completion of the last four to five kilometers before April 20,” Umahi stated.
He further disclosed that while the first phase of the project is nearing completion, the second section of the expressway, which extends to the Seme Border, will be constructed using concrete pavement to enhance durability and longevity.
Additionally, the federal government is considering a proposition that will involve border states completing their respective sections of the ECOWAS highway project, which ultimately terminates in Abidjan.
Commending President Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development, Umahi highlighted that the administration is actively working on about 270 inherited road projects across the country, many of which are slated for commissioning in May.
The Lagos-Badagry Expressway project, originally awarded in October 2018, has been a critical component of efforts to improve trade and transportation between Nigeria and its West African neighbors. The upcoming inauguration of the road is expected to enhance connectivity, ease vehicular movement, and boost economic activities along the corridor.
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