By Joy Baba-Yesufu
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has expressed strong concern over plans to route the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway through the Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve in Akwa Ibom State, warning that the move could cause irreversible environmental damage and violate existing laws.
The organisations said they were alarmed by indications from the Akwa Ibom State Government that it may consider de-reserving parts of the protected forest to accommodate the highway project.
Addressing journalist during a world press conference in Abuja, Dr Kelechi Okezie who spoke on behalf of the CSOs said Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve, established under Forest Reserve Order No. 45 of 1930, is a legally gazetted conservation area and one of Nigeria’s most ecologically significant mangrove–freshwater forest systems.
“The reserve is home to thousands of plant and animal species, some of which are endangered, and plays a critical role in coastal protection, flood control, fisheries breeding, and the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities” he said.
The groups warned that routing a major infrastructure project through such a fragile ecosystem would likely result in large-scale deforestation, biodiversity loss, disruption of hydrological systems, and long-term economic and social consequences for surrounding communities.
According to the coalition, any attempt to de-reserve the forest to allow construction would contradict the reserve’s legal status and conservation mandate. The organisations stressed that while infrastructure development is important, it must not come at the expense of environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
They noted that alternative alignments for the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway are feasible, pointing out that sections of the project have already been realigned elsewhere to avoid sensitive areas. The coalition argued that rerouting the highway away from Stubb’s Creek would not only prevent irreversible ecological damage but also align with Nigeria’s constitutional and international environmental obligations.
They further highlighted the cumulative impact of previous and ongoing projects within the reserve, including the abandoned 2017 superhighway and the BUA refinery development.
According to the groups, these projects have already triggered unchecked logging and accelerated deforestation, leaving the forest under severe ecological stress.
They also raised concerns about compliance with environmental laws, citing Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates government at all levels to protect Nigeria’s environment, as well as the Environmental Impact Assessment Act of 1992, which requires thorough and public environmental assessments before project approval.
The coalition alleged that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the coastal highway only commenced in January 2026, long after public announcements and approvals regarding the project’s alignment, a development they described as a breach of due process.
Beyond legal considerations, the organisations said the issue raises broader questions of environmental justice, climate vulnerability, and intergenerational equity, particularly in the Niger Delta, which already faces rising sea levels, erosion, flooding, and ecosystem degradation.
They called on the Federal Ministry of Works to immediately reroute the highway away from Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve and its buffer zones, and to publicly disclose alternative alignments that avoid protected ecosystems.
The Federal Ministry of Environment was urged to mandate and publish a cumulative Environmental and Social Impact Assessment covering all existing and proposed projects affecting the reserve, enforce strict compliance with environmental laws, and ensure transparent public participation.
The coalition also appealed to the Akwa Ibom State Government to reaffirm the protected status of Stubb’s Creek Forest Reserve, reject any construction approvals within the reserve, and work with federal authorities and host communities to secure an environmentally responsible route for the highway.
They concluded that rerouting the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway away from Stubb’s Creek is both feasible and necessary, warning that true development must not come at the cost of ecological collapse and increased climate vulnerability.
The statement was signed by 69 civil society organisations, including Amnesty International Nigeria, BudgIT, SERAP, CISLAC, Yiaga Africa, Environmental Rights Action, and the Centre for Democracy and Development, among others.
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