'Nigeria is too broke for this project' — Donald Duke speaks on Lagos-Calabar Highway debate

• Donald Duke says Nigeria cannot afford the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and doubts the project will extend beyond Epe.

• He urged the Federal Government to repair existing roads instead of embarking on an expensive new coastal highway.

• Duke argued that electricity, healthcare and education deserve higher priority, saying funds should be channelled into those sectors.

• He also called for reforms to Nigeria's revenue system and said affordable energy is key to driving economic growth.

Donald Duke, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in the 2023 election, has questioned the Federal Government's decision to continue with the multi-billion-dollar Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV's Prime Time on Tuesday, the former Cross River State governor said Nigeria's current economic reality does not support a project of that scale.

According to Duke, the country should focus on fixing existing infrastructure and investing in sectors that directly improve the lives of Nigerians, including electricity, healthcare and education.

"Nigeria cannot afford the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. I don't think the road will go beyond Epe.

"And I think the road serves other purposes because I drove once on the road, and all I saw was land reclamation and all that.

"There is already a road from Lagos to Calabar. I've driven from Lagos to Calabar several times. If the road is poor, fix it," he said.

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The former governor also raised concerns about the engineering challenges of extending the highway through parts of the Niger Delta, particularly Bayelsa State, which is largely made up of swamps and creeks.

According to him, constructing a coastal highway through the area would require numerous bridges, making the project even more expensive.

He argued that government spending should reflect the country's most pressing needs instead of embarking on projects Nigerians can barely afford.

"There are some expenditures we make that do not reflect the realities of our circumstances.

"The amount spent on that road could be better spent providing electricity or upgrading the healthcare system."

Duke also criticised the level of funding allocated to Nigeria's health sector, describing it as inadequate for a country with over 200 million people.

"Last year, I think the capital budget that was released for health was barely 36 million naira, and this came from the minister himself.

"That's pathetic for a country of 230 million people. Not to talk of the schooling system that is hardly funded," he added.

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Beyond the highway project, Duke called for reforms in Nigeria's revenue generation system. He argued that relying mainly on taxes from company profits limits government earnings because businesses naturally try to reduce taxable profits.

He suggested expanding other forms of revenue collection, including transaction-based taxes, while insisting that government must first set the right priorities.

On energy, Duke said affordable electricity remains one of the biggest drivers of economic growth. He noted that Nigeria is blessed with vast energy resources, including hydro, gas, solar, petroleum and lithium, but has failed to make them work for ordinary citizens.

According to him, making energy affordable would boost productivity, lower the cost of doing business and improve the quality of life for millions of Nigerians.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, being constructed by the Federal Government, is designed as a 700-kilometre coastal road linking Lagos to Cross River through several southern states. While supporters say it will improve connectivity, tourism and trade, critics have questioned its cost, funding model and overall economic priority.