By Seun Ibiyemi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday commissioned the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant in Lagos, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to delivering lasting infrastructure across Nigeria.
This was stated in statement made available by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
During the ceremony, the President called for greater coordination between state and federal governments, urging governors to align planning approvals with federal agencies to ensure timely and cost-effective implementation of major projects.
“I have directed the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and the Surveyor General of the Federation to work more closely with governors,” Tinubu said.
“Don’t issue planning approvals in isolation. Let’s work together to achieve our shared development goals.”
He stressed that improved collaboration would reduce compensation issues and project delays. The President also reiterated the Federal Government’s ban on dredging within a 10-kilometre radius of all bridges nationwide, appealing to governors and security agencies to ensure full enforcement.
The commissioning of the Deep Sea Port Access Road comes just days after Tinubu inaugurated Phase I of Section One of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, reinforcing his government’s focus on infrastructure-led growth.
Responding to critics of the government’s large-scale road projects, President Tinubu clarified that contracts are being awarded in transparent, section-based phases, not as wholesale deals.
He noted that the 30 km stretch of the Lagos-Calabar Highway completed so far is part of a 47.7 km section, and no contractor has been assigned the entire 750 km corridor.
Highlighting other ongoing initiatives, Tinubu said work has resumed on the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, originally proposed 47 years ago, which cuts across eight states and offers immense potential for trade, agriculture, and clean energy generation.
Significant progress was reported in Kebbi and Sokoto States, with several segments under active construction.
He also cited advancements on the Trans-Sahara Trade Route, linking Calabar to Abuja through Ebonyi, Benue, and Kogi States, and announced accelerated design work for the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe corridor, another Legacy Project of the administration.
The President flagged off and commissioned several other critical road and bridge projects, including: Yakasai to Zalli Road (Kano State), Shendam Bridge (Plateau State), Kwanar-Hadejia Road (Kano/Jigawa States), Jimeta Bridge (Adamawa State), Ilobu-Erinle Road (Kwara/Osun States), Cham-Numan Bridge (Adamawa State), Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway Section II – 55 km stretch to Ogun State, Bama–Banki Road in Borno State (via Dangote Tax Credit), Oyo–Ogbomoso Dualisation – 104 km (Oyo State), Kano–Daura–Kongolam Road – 264 km (via BUA Tax Credit), Completion of Maiduguri Ring Road – 108 km, Construction of the 7th Axial Road at Lekki Deep Sea Port to Ijebu-Ode – 25 km, 6-lane carriageway
President Tinubu extended appreciation to Nigeria’s top industrialists, whom he called the “four wise men” — Jim Ovia, Femi Otedola, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and Aliko Dangote — for their commitment to national development.
He specifically commended Dangote Industries and Hitech Construction for delivering high-quality work on the access road through the Tax Credit Scheme.
“Having inspected the Dangote refinery, which is a great point of reference and a massive investment, I want to thank Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” the President said.
In response, Aliko Dangote thanked the President for the vision behind the Lekki Deep Sea Port project and assured continued private sector support for national infrastructure development.
The event was attended by governors from Plateau, Abia, Enugu, Ogun, Borno, and Kaduna States. Representing the governors, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani praised the President’s decision to end fuel subsidies, noting that it had translated into increased funding for education, healthcare, and infrastructure across the states.
President Tinubu concluded by promising that his administration would see all Legacy Projects to completion, declaring, “With God on our side, we shall complete these projects and deploy them for the economic benefit of our nation.”