The Lagos State Government has suspended the issuance of building permits along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway route, citing the need to align the ongoing project with the state’s physical development plans.
The suspension was disclosed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, in a statement issued by Mukaila Sanusi, Director of Public Affairs of the ministry, on Monday, June 16, 2025.
Olumide explained that the decision became necessary due to the significant impact of the coastal highway on the state’s recently concluded and ongoing urban planning initiatives.
These include the Ode-Omi Action Area Plan, the Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan, and the Lekki Comprehensive Master Plan, which are at different stages of development.
“As a result of the effects of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road on our Development Plans, it is germane to review the situation on ground and align it with the Development Plans to forestall any further distortion now or in the future. In this connection, it is equally important to temporarily suspend Planning Approvals in the axis until further notice,“ Olumide stated.
The Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) has been directed to enforce the suspension until further notice.
Olumide noted that the suspension does not affect the state’s broader plans for a structured and sustainable environment, adding that Lagos stands to gain from the coastal highway in the long run.
What you should know
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a 750-kilometre project initiated by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River State, passing through the coastal corridors of Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
- The first phase of the project, awarded to Hitech Construction Company, begins from Ahmadu Bello Way in Lagos and stretches 47.47 kilometres to Eleko Village.
- Construction work commenced in March 2024. President Tinubu recently commissioned a portion of this section, although the entire stretch is still under construction as a six-lane dual carriageway.
Importantly, both Section 1 and Section 2 of Phase 1 of the project are located within Lagos State. Section 2 spans 55 kilometers from Eleko to the Lekki Deep Seaport and the Dangote Industrial Corridor. According to a recent update by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, construction is ongoing, with a few kilometers of this section already completed.
