Several civil society organizations (CSOs) have raised concerns over the proposed alignment of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway through a forest reserve in Akwa Ibom.
The group, comprised of 70 organizations, made the disclosure at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, tagged “#Save StubbsCreek Campaign,” as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
They say the move could cause irreversible environmental damage in the area.
What they are saying
The CSOs described the proposed highway alignment as inconsistent with the forest reserve’s legal status and conservation mandate.
Dr. Kelechukwu Okezie, Executive Director of Neighbourhood Environment, said the Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve, established in 1930, is one of Nigeria’s most important mangrove–freshwater ecosystems.
He noted that it provides biodiversity conservation, coastal protection, flood control, and livelihoods for host communities.
“Sustainable development must not come at the expense of ecological collapse and climate resilience in the Niger Delta.
“True development must not come at the cost of ecological collapse and heightened climate vulnerability.
“Protecting Stubb’s Creek is not an obstacle to development, but rather an investment in climate resilience, environmental justice, and the long-term wellbeing of present and future generations in Akwa Ibom and the wider Niger Delta,” Okezie said.
The groups warned that routing a major highway through the reserve could worsen deforestation. It could also disrupt water systems and harm ecosystems already stressed by abandoned road projects and industrial development.
More insights
They argued that moving ahead without a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) would violate Nigeria’s environmental laws.
They called on the Federal Ministry of Works to reroute the highway and urged the Federal Ministry of Environment to conduct and publish a full ESIA.
The CSOs appealed to the Akwa Ibom Government to reverse its decision and reaffirm the forest’s protected status.
Tijah Bolton-Akpan of Policy Alert said the forest hosts rare plants and animals, many already threatened with extinction. He added that the forest has sustained livelihoods for generations through products such as palm produce.
He also traced the degradation to previous projects, including an abandoned superhighway. The project opened the forest to illegal logging and exploitation, leaving communities unable to access resources they once relied on.
Mr. Ben Usang, Chairman of the Cross River Civil Society Network, said forest conservation could generate financial resources for both the federal government and local communities.
What you should know
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, had in 2025 revealed that 107 km of the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would be within Akwa Ibom State.
During a stakeholders’ engagement in Uyo last year, Umahi discussed the alignment of Sections 3B and 4 passing through Akwa Ibom.
According to the Ministry of Works, Akwa Ibom will benefit from 27 km of Section 3B and 80 km of Section 4. The total highway length in the state will be 107 km. The Federal Government had commenced work on this section last year.
In June 2025, the Minister also revealed that the Federal Government had procured contracts worth over N3 trillion for sections spanning Lagos, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States.
Section I in Lagos cost N1.068 trillion, Section II linking to Dangote Refinery cost N1.6 trillion, and Sections III A and III B in Akwa Ibom and Cross River were jointly procured at N1.33 trillion.
