Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project as a “scam,” accusing the Bola Tinubu-led administration of lacking tangible projects that benefit Nigerians.

Lawal made the remarks during an interview session with newsmen on Friday, criticising the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, claiming successive governments have used it as a political talking point without completing it.

He said, “They are still talking about the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which it appears every government talks about and votes money for, and it never goes anywhere.

“Their so-called coastal road is just a scam. Every Nigerian knows it is a scam. Even before they started, we knew it would be a scam, and it has become a scam,” he said.

Tinubu had, in May, flagged off the first phase of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway,  a 30-kilometre stretch from Ahmadu Bello Way to the Eleko Village area in Lekki, Lagos.

But Lawal dismissed the development, questioning its relevance in the face of mounting public debt.

“You borrow money from Europe, and before it comes, it is spent over there. So, I don’t understand. What can Nigerians see?

“It has become such that the President can go and commission 30 kilometres of a 700km road , which has even become a source of controversy. So, what are they doing with our money?” he asked.

The construction of the highway, which is estimated to cost ₦15 trillion, has attracted severe criticisms from opposition leaders such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, among others.

Property owners whose structures were demolished for the road project have also protested against the government and are demanding adequate compensation from the Federal Government.

Despite the criticisms, the Tinubu administration has defended the project, saying it is a strategic investment that would stimulate the economy.