Donald Duke: Nigeria Cannot Sustain Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project

 

Former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke has expressed doubts about the viability of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, arguing that Nigeria lacks the financial capacity to complete and maintain such a massive infrastructure project.

Speaking on the controversial highway initiative, Duke said the country is grappling with numerous economic challenges that make it difficult to justify the enormous cost of the project. According to him, Nigeria should prioritise investments in critical sectors and infrastructure that offer immediate economic benefits.

He maintained that while the idea of a coastal highway is ambitious, the nation's current economic realities raise serious concerns about its feasibility and long-term sustainability.

Duke stressed that the project should be reconsidered in light of Nigeria's fiscal constraints, insisting that the country cannot afford to embark on such an expensive venture at this time.

His comments come amid ongoing debates over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, with supporters describing it as a transformative infrastructure project capable of boosting economic growth, while critics question its cost, funding, and overall priority.