The Federal Government has commenced compensation payments to owners of farmlands affected by construction of Section 3A of the Lagos‑Calabar Coastal Highway in Akwa Ibom State, moving to address a long‑standing barrier to project progress. The exercise, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Works, targets landowners in the Okobo, Nsit Atai and Uruan Local Government Areas whose holdings were formally valued for compensation.
A notice issued by the Ministry’s Controller in Akwa Ibom, Vincent Okoduwa, advises all previously valued landowners to report to the Federal Secretariat Complex in Uyo for verification and data capturing with valid identification, property proof, BVN, NIN and bank details. Those whose land has yet to be valued have also been invited to participate in the verification exercise to ensure inclusion before payouts are made.
The Coastal Highway project — a 700‑kilometre federal expressway designed to link Lagos to Calabar and improve national connectivity — has encountered delays in multiple states because of land acquisition and compensation challenges. Completion is seen as key to boosting trade, reducing travel time along Nigeria’s southern corridor and unlocking economic opportunities for communities along the route.
By advancing compensation payments, the federal authorities aim to clear a major administrative hurdle and fast‑track work on one of the country’s flagship infrastructure programmes.
