The Federal Government has banned commercial motorcycles (okada) and tricycles (keke Marwa) from operating on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as part of measures to protect the newly constructed road and improve safety for motorists.
The directive, which takes effect this week, was announced by the Federal Ministry of Works in a statement issued by Olufemi Dare, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos.
The ministry said the restriction forms part of a broader traffic management strategy aimed at preserving the multi-billion-naira highway and preventing activities that could compromise its lifespan and functionality.
In addition to the ban on commercial motorcycles and tricycles, the ministry announced a crackdown on indiscriminate parking by trucks and articulated vehicles along the highway.
According to Dare, the restriction also applies to bridges across Lagos State, where unauthorised parking has become a growing concern.
He added that the government has also prohibited indiscriminate dumping of refuse along highway corridors, warning that the practice damages road infrastructure, obstructs drainage systems and degrades the environment.
Enforcement of the new regulations will begin immediately, with task force personnel deployed to strategic locations along the highway to ensure compliance.
The ministry said road signs indicating the new restrictions have already been installed to guide motorists and other road users.
Describing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a world-class infrastructure project, Dare said protecting the road from misuse is essential to safeguarding the Federal Government’s investment.
“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a world-class infrastructure that requires proper maintenance and protection,” he said.
He urged transport operators, motorists and members of the public to comply with the new regulations to ensure the highway remains safe, efficient and durable for decades to come.
The latest restrictions come as the Federal Government intensifies work on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, one of its flagship transportation projects designed to improve connectivity along Nigeria’s Atlantic coastline.
In December 2025, the Presidency announced that Nigeria secured approximately $1.2 billion in financing from the United Arab Emirates to support the construction of a key 56-kilometre section of the highway.
When completed, the approximately 700-kilometre coastal road will connect Lagos to Calabar, linking major commercial centres and opening new opportunities for trade, tourism and regional economic development.
Earlier, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed that the Federal Government had awarded contracts worth more than ₦3 trillion for multiple sections of the highway spanning Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
According to him, Section I of the project was awarded at ₦1.068 trillion, while Section II, which traverses swampy terrain and includes several flyovers connecting the Dangote Refinery corridor, was procured at ₦1.6 trillion.
The Federal Government says the new traffic restrictions are intended to preserve the integrity of the strategic highway while ensuring safe and efficient movement along one of Nigeria’s most ambitious road infrastructure projects.
