Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Reshapes Property Values Along Nigeria's Coastline
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Estate surveyors say the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is already reshaping urbanisation and land values along the corridor, with hotspots such as Bluewater Okunde recording sharp appreciation.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal road, a 700km eight-lane highway linking Lagos to Calabar through eight coastal states, is already reshaping urbanisation patterns and land values, according to an analysis by Alexander Igbori, a registered estate surveyor and valuer who heads the firm Alexander Igbori Consulting.
The project, which stretches from Victoria Island along the Atlantic coast, is intended to improve connectivity between economic hubs, residential areas and leisure destinations, ease traffic congestion and open up the coastline for tourism and recreation.
For property investors, the road represents more than transport infrastructure. Igbori notes that properties along the corridor enjoy prime locations with proximity to urban amenities and natural attractions, and that appreciation in hotspots such as Bluewater Okunde has reportedly reached around 500%. He argues that, if development is managed well, the corridor could drive 100% appreciation in land values.
The analysis also flags risks tied to the route's topography. The highway runs along the Atlantic coast, where cut-and-fill construction across wetlands, lowlands and erosion-prone beaches raises concerns about flooding and coastal erosion. Properties with direct sea views and elevated plots are commanding the highest premiums, while high, dry land near interchanges is favoured for estates, hotels and commercial development.
The columnist concludes that the road's impact will depend on whether development keeps pace with planning and environmental management, warning that unmanaged expansion could bring flooding problems, while a well-managed corridor could become Nigeria's next property superhighway.