The Federal Ministry of Works has announced a ban on commercial motorcycles (okada) and tricycles (keke Marwa) from operating on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. This restriction, effective this week, is part of government efforts to preserve the newly constructed infrastructure and improve road safety.
Mr. Olufemi Dare, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, disclosed the decision in a statement issued on Sunday, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria. The ministry stated that the ban is a component of a broader traffic management and infrastructure protection strategy.
Dare emphasized that the ban is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the world-class transport corridor. He added that commercial motorcycles and tricycles would no longer be permitted to ply the highway.
Beyond two- and three-wheeled commercial vehicles, the ministry also announced a crackdown on indiscriminate parking by trucks and articulated vehicles along the coastal highway. This restriction extends to all bridges across Lagos State, with unauthorized parking no longer tolerated.
The ministry further prohibited the indiscriminate disposal of refuse along highway corridors, describing the practice as detrimental to road infrastructure and environmental sanitation. Enforcement of these new directives will begin immediately, with task force officials deployed at strategic points.
Road signs highlighting the restrictions have already been installed to notify motorists and other road users of the new regulations. Dare urged compliance from motorists, transport operators, and the general public to extend the highway's lifespan and maximize the government’s investment.
These latest restrictions coincide with the Federal Government's accelerated work on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a flagship transport infrastructure project. In December 2025, the Presidency announced that Nigeria had secured approximately $1.2 billion in financing from the United Arab Emirates.
This funding is designated to support the construction of a key 56-kilometre section of the highway. The project will ultimately stretch 700 kilometres along Nigeria’s Atlantic coastline, connecting major commercial and economic hubs from Lagos to Calabar.
Earlier, Nairametrics reported on September 30, 2025, that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed that the Federal Government had procured contracts worth over N3 trillion for multiple sections of the coastal highway spanning Lagos, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States.
According to Umahi, Section I, which begins in Lagos, was awarded at N1.068 trillion, with 30% of the contract sum already paid to the contractor. Section II, which traverses swampy terrain and includes several flyovers linking to the Dangote Refinery corridor, was procured at N1.6 trillion.
