Minister of Works, David Umahi, has responded to comments by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, questioning the cost per kilometre of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, saying the governor’s position was based on a misunderstanding of the technical details involved in the project’s costing.
Umahi spoke on Saturday during an inspection of the Keffi Bridge and the Nasarawa–Toto Road projects in Nasarawa State, alongside Governor Abdullahi Sule. He said the figures quoted for the coastal highway were computed in line with international engineering standards and should not be reduced to “political soundbites.”
Governor Makinde had in a viral video criticised the Minister’s explanation of the project’s cost, suggesting that the minister was “dancing around” figures.
Reacting, Umahi described Makinde as “a brother and friend,” but maintained that the Oyo governor’s comments were misplaced.
“I heard that my brother and friend, Governor Makinde, said something about the cost per kilometre. I don’t want to join issues with him,” Umahi said. “He is an engineer, and I am also an engineer, but in road construction, experience matters. I am his senior both in governance and in practice. If there’s anything he doesn’t understand, he should call me and ask.”
The Minister added that there was no ambiguity in the computation of the project’s cost, noting that it was necessary to distinguish between “estimated” and “average” costs.
“There is no confusion about the cost per kilometre,” he said. “The estimated cost includes allowances for contingencies and variation of price, while the average cost represents the definitive amount after completion.”
Umahi said critics had sought Artificial Intelligence explanations on the cost difference, but even the AI response confirmed his earlier clarification.
“When somebody who lacks technical understanding goes to ask AI what the difference is between estimated and average cost, I was glad that AI said exactly what I explained,” he stated.
He also noted that practical experience was an essential measure of expertise in engineering, saying, “By the grace of God, I have become a professor of practical field engineering.”
The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, one of President Bola Tinubu’s flagship infrastructure projects, spans several coastal states and is expected to significantly boost trade, tourism, and economic integration across Nigeria’s southern corridor.
