President Bola Tinubu has approved the rerouting of a section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to pass through Ogoniland in Rivers State, a decision taken in honour of the late Senator Mpigi Barinada Barry, who represented the Rivers South-East Senatorial District before his death.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, made this known on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, during a Night of Tribute held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, where politicians, traditional leaders from Ogoniland and other prominent dignitaries gathered to pay their last respects to the deceased lawmaker and celebrate his contributions to national development.
Umahi, who described the death of Senator Mpigi as a profound and painful loss to the nation, said the rerouting of the landmark highway through Ogoniland was President Tinubu's way of immortalising the late lawmaker's service and ensuring that his community benefited in a lasting and tangible way from his years of dedication to Nigeria's development. The minister said it was deeply regrettable that Senator Mpigi would not live to witness the commissioning of many of the projects he worked tirelessly to bring to fruition, including the Bodo-Bonny Road and the Eleme-Onne section of the East-West Road in Rivers State, both of which bore his fingerprints.
Paying tribute to the late Senator, Umahi described him as a lawmaker of rare integrity whose impact reached far beyond the boundaries of his senatorial district. He noted that Mpigi left behind a trail of impactful projects across states as geographically and politically diverse as Lagos, Ogun, Sokoto, Kebbi and Kano, a testament to his belief in national unity and his ability to build bridges across divides that often fracture Nigeria's political landscape.
The minister also spoke warmly of Senator Mpigi's instrumental role in resolving contentious challenges that had threatened to derail key road projects, including the redesigned Eleme-Onne Road which was among the projects the late lawmaker championed with particular commitment. Umahi assured the Senator's bereaved family that the Federal Government would not abandon the ideals and developmental vision that Mpigi stood for, pledging that the Ministry of Works, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, would see those projects through to completion as a living tribute to his memory.
"We will not forget his family, his community, and his good intentions for Nigeria. His legacy of integrity, patriotism, and service will continue to inspire the nation and guide ongoing infrastructure development efforts," Umahi said.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the flagship infrastructure projects under President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. The 750-kilometre highway, which spans nine states including Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River, is designed to transform the country's transportation landscape and unlock significant economic potential along Nigeria's coastline. The first 30 kilometres of the project was temporarily opened to traffic in December 2025.
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