The Federal Government says the structural rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State will cost more than ₦3 trillion, following extensive damage revealed by recent assessments.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja that underwater and structural inspections showed severe deterioration to the bridge’s piles and piers caused by illegal sand mining, erosion, and corrosion.
“The rehabilitation is estimated at ₦3.8 trillion, while a complete rebuild would cost about ₦3.6 trillion,” Umahi said. “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 arrangement.”
Umahi noted that the findings were similar to those from earlier studies on the Carter Bridge, which contractor Julius Berger had declared beyond repair. The full replacement of the Carter Bridge is estimated to cost ₦359 billion.
The FEC has approved public-private partnership bids for the projects, alongside discussions with international lenders, including Deutsche Bank, to secure financing. Umahi stressed that such large-scale works cannot rely solely on budgetary allocations.
Inaugurated in 1990, the Third Mainland Bridge is Nigeria’s longest bridge and a vital transport artery for Lagos’ estimated 20 million residents. It has undergone periodic maintenance, but Umahi said recent inspections revealed far more extensive damage than previously recorded.
“The underwater problems are compounded by decades of neglect and human activities that have undermined the bridge’s substructure,” he warned. “We cannot delay. Whether we rehabilitate or rebuild, both require huge resources and specialised engineering.”
FEC also approved emergency interventions for other damaged bridges across the country, including the Jalingo Bridge in Taraba State, Ido Bridge in Lagos, Keffi Flyover in Nasarawa State, Mokwa Bridge in Niger State, a bridge on the Abuja–Kogi route, bridges on the Lagos–Ibadan corridor, Jebba Bridge in Kwara State, and the Itokin–Ikorodu Bridge in Lagos.
In addition, ₦493 billion was allocated for two major infrastructure projects, the upgrade of the Kano–Katsina Road and the construction of a new Carter Bridge. The Kano–Katsina Road project, initially awarded over a decade ago, has seen cost adjustments to ₦68 billion for Section One and ₦66.115 billion for Section Two due to inflation and economic conditions.
Umahi said the government would adopt EPC+F and PPP models to mobilise private capital while retaining oversight, with detailed studies and procurement for the Lagos bridge projects commencing immediately once financing agreements are signed.
