Backlash Mounts Over Naming of Coastal Highway After President Tinubu

​The Federal Government’s announcement that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be named after President Bola Tinubu has ignited a fresh wave of public outcry. The decision, revealed by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, marks the sixth instance of a major public facility being named after the President since his inauguration in 2023.

​Critics argue that the frequency of these renamings reflects a troubling trend of personalizing national infrastructure. The coastal highway, which is still in the early stages of construction, has become a lightning rod for concerns regarding sycophancy and the prioritization of symbolic accolades over pressing governance challenges.

​A Pattern of Renaming

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Since 2023, several key institutions and projects have been rebranded to honor the President, including:

• ​The National Assembly Library: Renamed the Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu Building (May 2024).
• ​Nigeria Immigration Service Command and Control Centre: Named the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (December 2024).
• ​Nigerian Army Barracks, Asokoro: Named in honor of the President (January 2025).
• ​Bola Ahmed Tinubu Polytechnic: Approved in Gwarinpa, Abuja.
• ​Abuja International Conference Centre: Renamed the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre (June 2025).
• ​Abubakar Imam International Airport, Minna: Renamed after President Tinubu by the Niger State Governor (March 2024).

​Critics Denounce “Personalization of Governance”

Opposition figures and civil society leaders have characterized the move as a departure from democratic norms. Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, labeled the trend as “the highest form of sycophancy,” arguing that public assets should not be treated as personal property.

​Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong echoed these sentiments, describing the administration’s focus as an “obsessive” personalization of governance that mirrors autocratic tendencies. He emphasized that leaders should ideally be honored by history after their service, rather than during their tenure.

​Dr. Yinusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, further questioned the logic of naming a project that has not yet reached a quarter of its completion, suggesting that the government should focus its energy on project delivery rather than political branding.

​Divided Opinions

Despite the backlash, some stakeholders have offered a more tempered view. Professor Hassan Saliu, President of the Nigerian Society of International Affairs, suggested that the phenomenon may be driven more by the President’s political circle than by the President himself. Supporters, including 2027 presidential candidate Professor Christopher Imumolen, have urged the public to shift focus toward the potential economic benefits of the infrastructure project rather than its nomenclature.

​As the debate continues, critics maintain that the government’s resources would be better spent addressing Nigeria’s economic instability and security concerns, rather than engaged in a continuous cycle of project rebadging.