The Federal Government has announced that the structural rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State will cost about ₦3.6 trillion, following revelations of severe underwater damage to Nigeria’s busiest bridge.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said recent assessments uncovered extensive deterioration of the bridge’s piles and piers, largely caused by illegal sand mining, erosion, and corrosion.
Umahi explained that rehabilitation works are now estimated at ₦3.8 trillion, while building a completely new bridge would cost slightly less, at about ₦3.6 trillion.
“We have approval for at least seven specialist contractors to carry out detailed investigations, designs, and bids for both rehabilitation and new construction under an EPC+F [Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing] arrangement,” he said.
He added that similar inspections of the Carter Bridge in Lagos led contractor Julius Berger to declare it beyond repair, recommending a full replacement at an estimated ₦359 billion.
Under the FEC approvals, the government will advertise public-private partnership (PPP) bids for the projects and begin funding discussions with international lenders, including Deutsche Bank.
“The underwater problems are compounded by decades of neglect and human activities that have undermined the bridge’s foundations,” Umahi warned. “We cannot delay. Whether we rehabilitate or rebuild, the resources and engineering expertise required will be enormous.”
The FEC also approved ₦493 billion for two major projects — ₦359 billion for the Carter Bridge replacement and ₦134 billion for the upgrade of the 152km Kano–Katsina Road.
In addition, Umahi announced emergency interventions on damaged bridges nationwide, including the Jalingo Bridge in Taraba State, Ido Bridge (damaged by fire), Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa State, Mokwa Bridge in Niger State, a bridge on the Abuja–Kogi route, bridges on the Lagos–Ibadan corridor damaged by vehicles, the Jebba Bridge in Kwara State, and the Itokin–Ikorodu Bridge in Lagos.
“These emergency works will be documented and forwarded to the President for approval through the Ministry of Finance,” the minister said.
The Third Mainland Bridge, inaugurated in 1990, spans 11.8 kilometres and remains a vital transport link for Lagos’ estimated 20 million residents. While it has undergone periodic maintenance, Umahi said recent inspections exposed far more extensive substructure damage than previously recorded.
Barely a week ago, the Federal Government ordered the closure of the bridge to heavy-duty vehicles, citing safety concerns.
Follow us on all social media platforms @dailyquery for news and analyses around the globe.
