The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to construct Africa’s first underwater tunnel, a 2.9-kilometre infrastructural landmark designed to connect the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the Sokoto-Badagry corridor. The tunnel, set to run underground from Ahmadu Bello Way on Victoria Island through Lagos Lagoon to Snake Island, will extend towards Badagry, providing a critical link between these major transport routes.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed the project details during an inspection tour of Lagos infrastructure sites on September 10. He explained that the underwater tunnel would be part of a larger 61-kilometre highway stretch designed to ease congestion on Lagos bridges and improve connectivity between coastal and inland economic zones. The initiative aims to facilitate logistics, trade, and mobility while opening up new investment opportunities in surrounding communities, particularly around Snake Island and Badagry.
Financing for the project will follow a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, with the government leveraging land assets at Snake Island and Badagry to fund the construction under a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model. Minister Umahi emphasised that the project will avoid external borrowing, reflecting a strategic approach to sustainable infrastructure development.
In addition to discussing the tunnel, Umahi also outlined a revised procurement policy by the Federal Government that excludes expatriate firms from contracts valued below ₦20 billion. This move prioritises indigenous contractors for significant national projects, aligning with the government’s Nigeria First policy aimed at boosting local content and expertise. The Minister cautioned contractors about maintaining high-quality standards, specifically warning against leaving binder courses uncovered on roads—a practice known to weaken surfaces prematurely. Non-compliant contractors face sanctions, including negative certificates and financial recoveries.
The underwater tunnel represents a historic step for Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape. By integrating the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry highways through innovative engineering beneath Lagos Lagoon, the project is expected to significantly reduce traffic bottlenecks, enhance regional trade corridors, and stimulate economic activities in adjacent localities. Completion of this project would place Nigeria at the forefront of infrastructural innovation across Africa, catalysing development potential across multiple sectors.