Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road will unlock Ondo’s economic potential says Omoyele
A stakeholder in Ondo State, Mr. Olabode Omoyele, has said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will serve as a major economic corridor for Ondo State, linking its coastal communities to markets across the South-West and South-South.
Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday, Olabode described the federal project as “a game-changer” that will reduce logistics costs, boost tourism, and open up Ondo’s largely untapped oceanfront for trade and industry.
“The Lagos-Calabar road is not just an asphalt project. For Ondo State, it is a direct gateway to prosperity,” Omoyele said. “Once completed, our fishermen in Ilaje and Ese-Odo will move produce to Lagos in hours instead of days. Our bitumen, agriculture and solid minerals will have faster access to ports and buyers.”
He noted that Ondo has over 180km of coastline, the longest in Nigeria, but has remained constrained by poor road access. According to him, connecting the state to the 700km coastal highway will attract private investment in tourism, seaports, and processing plants.
“The road will decongest the old Benin-Ore-Lagos route and create new towns along the corridor. Hotels, cold rooms, and small businesses will spring up from Araromi to Ode-Aye because movement will be easier and cheaper,” he added.
Omoyele urged the Federal Government and the Ondo State Government to ensure that spur roads and interchanges are properly sited in Ondo communities to maximize benefits. He also called for early compensation and engagement of host communities to avoid delays.
“With political will and proper planning, Ondo will become the hub for marine economy, bitumen export, and agro-processing in the region,” he said. “The Lagos-Calabar road gives us that chance, and we must not miss it.”
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, flagged off by the Federal Government, is designed to run through nine coastal states, including Ondo, with the aim of improving connectivity, trade and tourism along Nigeria’s southern coastline.
