The Federal Government has approved N548.98 billion for the complete demolition and reconstruction of the Carter Bridge in Lagos, following technical assessments that confirmed the 125-year-old structure’s underwater piles and pile caps had deteriorated beyond repair.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced the decision on Thursday after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council in Abuja. He said multiple technical assessments carried out in 2013, 2019, and again under the current administration through Julius Berger all reached the same conclusion that the bridge could not be saved.
“We convocated a stakeholders’ engagement, and all the technical experts all over the country, and even internationally, all agreed that we could not redeem Carter Bridge, and it has to be completely demolished and rebuilt,” Umahi said.
He explained that the underwater piles and pile caps had deteriorated at what he described as a geometrical progression, making full reconstruction the only viable option to ensure safety and long-term structural integrity. “The total recommendation was that Carter Bridge can no longer be rehabilitated; it should be demolished and then a new bridge constructed,” he added.
The contract was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCCC) following a competitive bidding process that included Julius Berger, CCECC, CBC, and China Harbour High Tech. The new bridge will be longer than the original, with the total length extended from 1.525 kilometres to 1.93 kilometres following the addition of a flyover ramp designed to eliminate the bottleneck that has long plagued traffic flow in the area. The new structure will also feature a navigational waterway of 105 metres by two to avoid interference with marine traffic.
“We’ve gone through rigorous procurement and design. The initial total length of that bridge was 1.525 kilometres, with three lanes, dualised. We have now increased the project to 1.93 kilometres because we increased a flyover ramp, so that the bottleneck that is usually there will no longer exist. The total contract sum approved is N548.98 billion,” Umahi said.
Built in 1901 by the British colonial government and named after Sir Gilbert Thomas Carter, a former Governor of the Colony of Lagos, Carter Bridge is one of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland. At the time of its construction, it was the only link between the mainland and Lagos Island. After Nigerian independence in 1960, the bridge was dismantled, redesigned, and rebuilt during the late 1970s. The Alaka-Ijora flyover on the Iddo end was completed in 1973.
Officials say the planned demolition and reconstruction will not only address safety risks but also modernise the bridge to meet current and future transportation demands in Lagos. The project is part of a larger N7 trillion infrastructure package approved by the Federal Executive Council. Experts note that Carter Bridge has experienced years of heavy usage, with increasing pressure from population growth, urban expansion, and rising vehicle density contributing to its current condition.
The Federal Executive Council had earlier in March 2026 approved N5.6 billion for advanced engineering consultants to carry out the design and costing for the Carter Bridge project. Advanced Engineering Consultants was engaged to undertake the detailed design and cost assessment ahead of the procurement process for the full reconstruction project.
Umahi added that the reconstruction of the bridge forms part of broader efforts by the current administration to strengthen critical transport infrastructure across the country. “The stakeholders’ engagement and technical reviews showed that the Carter Bridge can no longer be rehabilitated. It has to be demolished and a completely new bridge constructed,” the minister said.
