A leading public procurement advocacy group, Network for the Actualization of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD), has criticized the presentation of a 30-kilometre stretch of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a completed project ready for commissioning.
In a statement over the weekend, NEFGAD’s Country Head, Mr. Akingunola Omoniyi, noted that the 750-kilometre project is an ambitious infrastructure initiative intended to transform Nigeria’s coastal region. However, presenting a mere 30-kilometre section—just 4% of the total length—as finished and ready for commissioning is misleading and premature.
The group warned against politicizing infrastructure delivery, stressing that project commissioning should reflect the completion and usability of the entire project or at least a major, functional section. “Presenting a fraction as the whole not only misrepresents the scope of work but risks undermining public trust in government communication and performance metrics,” the statement said.
NEFGAD urged the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to consider the long-term precedent set by commissioning incomplete projects. “If left unchecked, this could normalize the commissioning of uncompleted or partially completed projects across the country—turning what should be moments of national progress into mere photo opportunities and political theatre,” the group warned.
The statement also emphasized that the President should not be put under undue pressure to commission unfinished projects, adding: “Government is a continuum, and it’s unrealistic to expect that every project must be completed within one administration. President Tinubu himself has completed and commissioned projects started by previous administrations.”
NEFGAD called on President Bola Tinubu to insist on transparency and accountability in project delivery, stating that the public deserves full value for every infrastructure initiative. The group concluded by urging the Ministry of Works to recommit to credible milestones, maintain project integrity, and ensure that future commissionings truly represent completed and functional infrastructure.
