Did you know that the first underwater tunnel in the world is the Thames Tunnel in London, built between 1825 and 1843 by Marc Isambard Brunel, and that it connected Rotherhithe and Wapping under the River Thames?

Nigeria's federal government through the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has announced plans to construct what could become the first underwater tunnel in the African continent when completed, to connect the ongoing Lagos-Calabar and the Sokoto-Badagry highways in the country.

According to the minister, the tunnel will run for 2.9 kilometres, connecting Ahmadu Bello Way to Snake Island and extending to Badagry, in Lagos State, Nigeria's commercial city and once an administrative capital before the status was moved to Abuja.

Nigeria's current president Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT), whose first tenure has witnessed massive infrastructural projects, formerly served as governor of Lagos State during the era of President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) from 1999 to 2007, and as senator representing Lagos West in the Third Republic (1992).

The underwater tunnel project would be executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement using land resources around Snake Island and Badagry to fund the initiative as revealed by the minister.

The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway is a 1,068-kilometer, six-lane road designed to connect Nigeria's northwestern region with the southern coast, thereby enhancing trade, security, and economic growth. 

Initiated by the Renewed Hope Administration under President Tinubu, the legacy project was formally launched in October 2024, though its planning dates back over 40 years. The project includes various sections, with President Tinubu approving 30% of the contract sum in funding the commencement of the highway's construction in March 2025.

On the other hand, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a 700-kilometer project under development (as of 2025) by the Federal Ministry of Works. It runs from Victoria Island in Lagos to Calabar in Cross River State. The project will pass through Ogun State, Ondo State, Edo State, Delta State, Bayelsa State, Rivers State, and Akwa Ibom State, before ending in Calabar. 

The project is intended to connect the western and south-eastern regions of Nigeria, and to improve cross-country connectivity and trade relations. The construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway began in March 2024 with the first phase, which stretches 47.47 kilometers from Lagos. The highway is expected to be completed in eight years and will cost N4 billion per kilometer.

While the total cost for the 1,068-kilometer Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway is approximately ₦13 trillion, or over $7.9 billion, that of the 700 km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is estimated at N15 trillion (around $11–13 billion).

The first underwater tunnel in the world is the Thames Tunnel in London, built between 1825 and 1843 by Marc Isambard Brunel, and connected Rotherhithe and Wapping under the River Thames. The tunnel which was a groundbreaking feat of engineering that employed a novel tunnelling shield method famously became a popular tourist attraction before being converted for railway use. 

SOURCES: BusinessDay | Wikipedia | Google

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