Nigeria's Coastal Highway Project Raises Concerns Over Environmental Impact

The proposed Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Nigeria has been touted as a nation-building project, promising faster trade, more jobs, and socioeconomic development. However, the 700-kilometer road also poses a significant threat to the country's coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, freshwater swamps, and remnant forests. These ecosystems store carbon, buffer storms, and support livelihoods that are crucial to coastal communities. Environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) are crucial in determining the project's feasibility, but recent developments have raised concerns about their treatment as mere administrative rituals. The highway passes through or near several protected areas, including the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, home to the mona monkey.