Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which links Lagos to Cross River, has been rerouted for a 9-kilometer stretch to protect critical submarine cables.
Minister of works Dave Umahi made this known during a stakeholder meeting in Lagos.
The new route distances the highway from the shoreline to safeguard important infrastructure, including the 2Africa submarine cable, connecting 33 countries and approximately three billion people, and the West African Cable Systems (WACS), which has been operational for 17 years.
Umahi highlighted the importance of a new 50-megawatt power plant designed to support both the 2Africa and WACS cables, in his words:
The new corridor is right over the submarine cable, and the other side is on the IPP. You cannot have the submarine cables without power—they will not function. The submarine cable is critical national security infrastructure. If it is affected, everybody will be affected.
The minister emphasized the importance of the rerouting by citing a recent incident in Côte d’Ivoire that caused a significant blackout across a large part of Africa. He appealed for the road to be diverted back to its original path as per the gazette to protect these vital infrastructures.
Umahi commended the federal government for constructing the road, essential for national development, but stressed the need for sensitivity in diverting the road away from critical assets.
He presented the proposal and old alignment plans, stating, “To resolve concerns from MTN, 2Africa, and the Okun Ajah community, we are reverting to the original alignment and rejoining the new alignment at kilometre 25. Congratulations.”
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