Ologbotsere of Warri Urges Completion of Koko–Ogheye–Epe Coastal Highway: A Forgotten Artery of the Niger Delta’s Prosperity

In a stirring appeal that echoes the long-standing yearnings of the Niger Delta people, Ojoye Oma Eyewuoma, the Ologbotsere of Warri and Chairman Warri Council of Chiefs, has called on the Federal Government to revisit and complete the abandoned Koko–Ogheye–Epe–Lagos Coastal Highway. Speaking on Friday, November 7, 2025, at his Warri residence, the Ologbotsere, who spoke under the authority of His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri, lamented that the project which once hailed as a beacon of regional development has been left to the ravages of time and neglect. He described the highway as a lifeline that could redefine the economic future of Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, and indeed, the entire Niger Delta.

Tracing the history of the project, Eyewuoma recalled that the dream of the Koko–Ogheye Coastal Highway was first envisioned in 1955 by the late Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, Nigeria’s first Federal Minister of Finance. Decades later, however, that dream remains trapped in bureaucratic inertia and political amnesia. He decried the plight of over 80 Itsekiri and coastal communities that remain cut off from major trade and industrial hubs, noting that the completion of the road would cut travel time between Delta and Lagos to less than two hours, an infrastructural miracle that could recalibrate commerce and connectivity across the South-South region.

The Ologbotsere further reminded the government that the project was officially flagged off on June 10, 2010, by then-Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, with a total estimated cost of ₦97 billion. The first phase, valued at ₦14.9 billion, was awarded to Levant Construction Company by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Conceived as a strategic economic corridor linking Delta State to the booming Lekki axis of Lagos, the road was expected to stimulate trade, transportation, and tourism. Sadly, years later, the once promising project now lies dormant, a silent testimony to the region’s unfulfilled potential.

Beyond the road’s economic implications, the Ologbotsere spoke passionately about its agricultural and environmental importance. He explained that the highway’s completion would open up fertile lands rich in resources for rice, plantain, and tomato cultivation, assets already validated by international researchers. He emphasized that it would also revitalize the fishing economy along the Benin River, which remains one of Nigeria’s most productive aquatic zones. He urged Warri North Local Government Chairman, Hon. Ashima, to play a proactive role in monitoring and ensuring accountability in the execution of the project.

In his closing remarks, Eyewuoma made a heartfelt plea to the Federal Government to honor its promises to the Niger Delta. He argued that completing the Koko–Ogheye–Epe Coastal Highway would not only bridge physical distances but also heal decades of economic exclusion and neglect. “This road is not just a project,” he said, “it is a covenant of hope between the government and the people.” His words stand as both a challenge and a reminder, that true progress begins where promises are fulfilled.