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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Federal Government has justified the ₦43 billion spent on the full rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, with the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, saying the intervention was unavoidable given the bridge’s deteriorated state when the current administration took office.
Speaking on the project, Umahi disclosed that the total contract sum for the extensive rehabilitation stood at ₦43 billion, stressing: “The total contract sum for the rehabilitation of the bridge is N43 billion.”
He explained that the scope of work went far beyond surface repairs, covering 14 kilometres by 14 metres across both carriageways. According to him, the project involved concrete reconstruction, repainting, replacement of expansion joints, and the installation of solar-powered lighting to enhance safety and durability.
Addressing public concerns over the newly inaugurated CCTV surveillance centre on the bridge, the minister clarified that the facility described as Nigeria’s first dedicated bridge surveillance centre did not exceed ₦2.5 billion in cost. “The cost of the CCTV centre is not more than N2.5 billion,” Umahi stated.
He noted that the centre is fully solar-powered and equipped with 240 solar panels, air-conditioning systems, inverters, a 300KVA transformer, a standby generator, multiple monitoring screens, a surveillance boat, and two Hilux vans to support rapid response and continuous monitoring.
Umahi further revealed that the decision to embark on a total rehabilitation followed a comprehensive assessment conducted after the administration assumed office in 2023. “When we came on board in 2023, we met a very terrible Third Mainland Bridge, both on the pavement surface, infrastructure above the water and even infrastructure below the water,” he said.
According to the minister, the findings prompted immediate presidential intervention. “The President, therefore, directed the total re-evaluation and rehabilitation of the surfaces of the Third Mainland Bridge and the replacement of the expansion joints,” Umahi added.
He maintained that the scale of work carried out reflects the strategic importance of the bridge to Lagos and Nigeria’s economy, insisting that the investments were necessary to guarantee safety, longevity, and modern infrastructure management.