Lagos-Badagry expressway
Nigeria is to undertake construction, expansion, rehabilitation works on Lagos-Badagry expressway. Credit: V Malik.

The Government of Nigeria has started rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion works on the Agbara-Seme Border section of Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

Project contractor CGC Nigeria has moved construction equipment and materials between Agbara and Badagry, reported News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Nigerian Ministry of Works’ director of highways for south-west Funsho Adebiyi said that the government has started work on various portions of the route.

One extra lane will be built on both carriageways running between Agbara and Badagry.

Adebiyi added: “The contractor moved to site around November, but because of the high traffic for the Christmas season, he was asked to make emergency repairs to make the road motorable.

“Now he is back on site on full construction works, the survey works, geotechnical investigations have all been completed. So, the actual construction work has now started.

“From Agbara to Badagry, we are not just rehabilitating, we are doing total reconstruction and expansion. So the number of lanes would be increased from two to three from Agbara to Badagry. While from Badagry to Seme, because it is of lesser traffic, the lanes will be two all through to Seme but it will go through total rehabilitation.”

“The number of lanes would be increased from two to three from Agbara to Badagry.”

In order to ensure the quality of work, the government has deployed some engineers permanently on the construction site.

Additionally, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) will work on the section between Okokomaiko and Agbara.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos Adedamola Kuti was quoted by Leadership.ng as saying that ‘the project was part of a major project from Lagos to Abidjan and that the ministry was doing its best to speed up construction on the Lagos side’.

He said that quality construction materials are being used to ensure the durability of the expressway.

The project started in October last year and is expected to conclude over the next three years.

Lagos-Badagry Expressway is described as the ‘Gateway to Nigeria’ and is a major access route into the nation from neighbouring countries from the west coast of Africa.