Sustaining Momentum on the Lagos-Badagry, Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta Expressways 

“We want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for what he did in Badagry, especially on this road (Lagos-Ibadan Expressway). In the last 16 to 17 years, we have been suffering on this road. But since two or three years ago, he has done this place; we are happy. 

Before, from here to Agbara, it takes about three hours and if you want to go to Mile 2, you have to leave your home at 4 am, but now you can leave by 6am.”

Those were the words of an elated Oba Isreal Okoya, the traditional ruler of Ibereko in Badagry, when the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and entourage, visited the ongoing construction and rehabilitation work on a certain Saturday in April. 

While profusely thanking President Buhari for the project, he stressed that the project had tremendously reduced travel time, as well as enhanced the quality of lives of not just his community, but other road users that ply that route on a daily basis.

Calling for the speedy completion of the project he added, “we are happy. But we want them to do the second lane. We have seen the first one. It’s okay. But by the end of this year, we need to see the left side”.

The joy of the traditional ruler and millions of road users that ply the Lagos- Badagry Expressway, which is part of the ongoing Abidjan–Lagos Megalopolis multi-billion dollar project, is understandable because for years, they had lived in palpable pain on the terrible state of that road before construction began. 

Connecting the Western Coast through the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor

As part of moves to ensure interconnectivity of countries on the West African coast, the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor, also known as the Abidjan–Lagos Megalopolis, the latter crisscrossing the Lagos-Badagry axis, was borne. 

The geographical locations of cities and multinational coordinates include 

Abidjan at 5.30966 -4.01266; Cotonou at

6.36736 2.4225; Agbosome at

6.07373 1.03452; Sekondi-Takoradi at 

4.934 -1.7137; Lagos at 

6.45306 3.39583; Cape Coast at 

5.10535 -1.2466; Accra at 

5.55602 -0.1969; and Lomé at 

6.13748 1.21227.

The overaching plan is for that corridor to serve as an emerging transnational megalopolis on the coast of southern West Africa. Stretching from Abidjan to Lagos, it crosses five independent states (Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria) from west to east, and includes two political capitals and many regional economic centers.

According to reports on Wikipedia, the corridor has a length of approximately 965 kilometers (600 miles) and within the megalopolis, a significant portion of West Africa’s economic output is generated, and cities within the corridor are among the most economically developed of their respective countries, for which agglomeration effects and access to the Atlantic Ocean are responsible. 

Also, since the population within the region is experiencing rapid growth, and nearly 50 million people are expected to live within the corridor by 2035,  projections are that by the end of the 21st century, the region could become the largest urban region with continuous settlement in the world, then with up to half a billion inhabitants.

On the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project, the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor is supposed to be a link in the Dakar-Lagos Corridor, part of the trans-African highway of the ECOWAS region, whose development has been identified as one of the priorities of the Infrastructure Development Program in Africa (PIDA). 

This infrastructure is more than essential for the socio-economic development of West Africa, because it connects the most densely populated and economically active parts of the sub-region and, moreover, has interconnections with a railways network and the main ports and airports in its coverage area. 

According to the plan, the new Abidjan -Lagos motorway will have six lanes (2×3 lanes), and its estimated cost according to Wikipedia is UA 11.08 million (USD 15.59 million). However, given the global inflation, that cost is expected to increase by the time the entire project is wrapped up.

But despite the astronomical cost of building such lofty project, the gains are sustainable as it will open up trade, operations and economic development of the nations along that corridor, and some might even say, beyond.

Simply put, since the corridor is located on the coastal axis of the region and crosses the economic centers and the most densely populated cities of the sub-region, the population along this axis, estimated at 70 million, will be the direct beneficiaries when the project is implemented.

Lagos-Badagry Expressway

As one of the flanks of the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor, the construction of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway was sectioned off into three independent contracts. These independent contractors are supervised by Lagos State government (LASG), Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the Federal Ministry of Works.

While section one was constructed by the Lagos State government and kicked off from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko, the second section by FERMA involves rehabilitation from Igboelerin to Agbara and the last part is by the Federal Ministry of Works from Agbara to Seme Border.

The Minister’s On-the-Spot Inspection

These and many more were reiterated by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, during a recent On-the-spot assessment of all three sections of the ongoing Lagos-Badagry Expressway reconstruction and rehabilitation project.

The minister, who was accompanied by the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye;  Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederick Oladeinde and other engineers from the ministry, expressed satisfaction on the state of the works done already, adding that the progress had been recorded beyond where the project was in 2015.

Speaking with journalists intermittently to bring them up to speed he said the project is is evidence of the commitment of the Buhari administration to  infrastructure.

On the Lagos-Abidjan Expressway, he said the project is part of the  highway which serves over 40 million commuters travelling all the way to Ivory Coast, adding that Nigeria had demonstrated leadership by starting construction of its own side of the project.

Stressing that construction had reached final layer on 22 kilometres stretch of section three, he said: “We are in the last 22 kilometres section to Badagry roundabout, on one side, the Badagry- bound side, our engineer’s representative said to me that except for the first three kilometres, work has been completed all the way to kilometre 22. 

“What is left is just the wearing course that you see is being installed at kilometer one plus 800. So, it is just about 200 metres to kilometre 22. This is the part of the road that will be three lanes on a dual carriageway.”

Shedding further light on the progress made so far, he said sections one and two had been completed, adding that  financing for section three was sustainable because the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had taken over its funding.

On the economic benefits of the project, he said it has brought traffic to small and big businesses on the Badagry corridor, adding that it also reduced travel time and waste of resources, the end goal being in fulfilment of the government’s plans to bring millions out of poverty.

Update on Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta Project 

But prior to inspecting the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the minister had first visited the Lagos -Otta-Abeokuta Expressway. According to him, work had begun on the Lagos end and if people were patient, the work would be completed up to the Ogun State.

While the project was being funded by SUKUK, he addressed the need to connect Ogun State to Lagos.

The minister said already, all three ongoing projects- Ikorodu-Sagamu, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Lagos-Badagry Expressway, are all linked Ogun but that of Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta, which is the fourth link road, would require patience. 

Finally on the Lagos-Otta-Idiroko project, he said every stage of the design part was important because that’s what helps in effective procurement procedures.

Quote

We want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for what he did in Badagry, especially on this road (Lagos-Ibadan Expressway). In the last 16 to 17 years, we have been suffering on this road. But since two or three years ago, he has done this place; we are happy. 

Before, from here to Agbara, it takes about three hours and if you want to go to Mile 2, you have to leave your home at 4 am, but now you can leave by 6am