The Federal Government has issued a two-week ultimatum to motorists and road users on the Lagos section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, warning that the road will be shut down if safety conditions do not improve. Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Olufemi Dare, made the announcement at a press briefing on Monday, citing persistent speeding, frequent fatalities, and a range of security and infrastructure problems.
Ultimatum and Speed Limit Violations
Dare said that Minister of Works David Umahi has directed the ministry to return and close the road if there is no improvement within the next two weeks. “In another two weeks, if there's no improvement, His Excellency has directed that we are coming back to shut down the road,” Dare stated.
The core issue is the widespread disregard for the posted 30km/h speed limit through active construction zones. Despite clear signage, motorists have been recorded driving at speeds up to 120km/h. Dare noted that fatalities are now occurring “almost every other day,” a situation he described as unsustainable. “We have said your speed on the coastal road must not be more than 30km/h. It is well written everywhere. But people will come here and go at 100km/h. This cannot continue,” he said.
Security and Infrastructure Challenges
Beyond speeding, the ministry is grappling with a host of other issues along the highway's roughly 103km stretch within Lagos, which remains under active construction. This includes 20 bridges yet to be completed across its two sections. Illegal parking by trucks and articulated vehicles has become a major concern, and Dare announced that such vehicles will now be towed, with illegal U-turns removed and offenders facing prosecution.
Motorcycles and tricycles have been banned entirely from the route. Dare disclosed that more than 100 Okada riders were arrested on the highway in the past week alone. Vandalism has also compounded the problem, with about five kilometres of clear-view fencing and roughly 18 kilometres of drainage covers stripped from the highway, often overnight despite police patrols. The ministry is considering replacing the fencing with block walls in the worst-hit areas.
Security Measures and Community Involvement
To tighten security, the government has approved 40 community-nominated coastal guards for the highway's first section, to work alongside police, with recruitment expected to be completed within two weeks. Lagos Police Commissioner Fatai Tijani has also increased police deployment along the corridor. Separately, authorities plan to deploy a joint task force this week to clear trucks that have been using the Gypsy Port area as an informal, long-term parking spot.
Dare said the road itself is fully completed in its first section, with bridge work ongoing but still within the project's three-year contract timeline. The government previously considered shutting the highway in December over similar concerns, but President Bola Tinubu directed that it remain open to ease traffic flow. The current ultimatum signals a firmer stance if safety and security conditions do not improve within the stipulated two-week period.
