By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has sparked fresh debate after sharing a viral video showing sections of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway allegedly flooded following rainfall, raising concerns over the durability of the ongoing multi-billion-naira project.
The video, circulated on social media on April 21, 2026, shows waterlogged portions of the highway with vehicles navigating through flooded stretches, prompting renewed public discussion about infrastructure quality and drainage systems along the coastal corridor.
In response, former presidential aide and ambassador-designate Reno Omokri defended the project, dismissing claims of structural failure.
He argued that flooding in coastal areas like Lagos is a natural occurrence due to the city’s low-lying geography and climate conditions, rather than evidence of poor construction.
Omokri further maintained that similar flooding events occur even in advanced countries, insisting that critics were politicising a natural environmental challenge rather than assessing the engineering design of the road.
The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, one of Nigeria’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, has remained a subject of intense public debate, with supporters highlighting its long-term economic benefits while critics question cost, execution pace, and environmental resilience.
The latest exchange reflects Nigeria’s broader infrastructure politics, where major projects often become battlegrounds for political interpretation, especially on social media, amplifying both scrutiny and misinformation around national development efforts.
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