The Federal Government has ordered the immediate partial closure of a section of the Eko Bridge in Lagos while officially handing over the reconstruction of the 60-year-old Carter Bridge to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation in a move officials say is critical to public safety.
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, announced the development on Wednesday during the handover ceremony at Carter Bridge on Lagos Island. He said the decision followed years of investigations which revealed severe structural defects beneath both the Carter Bridge and the Third Mainland Bridge. Underwater inspections carried out in 2013 and 2019 had flagged disturbing failures, but fresh assessments by specialist divers under the current administration showed the situation had worsened significantly.
“When we went deeper with specialist divers and geologists, we discovered that some of the piles had moved away from their pile caps. It’s just like the hip of the leg is cut off. That is the level of damage we are dealing with,” Umahi said. He added that technical evaluations showed repairing the existing Carter Bridge would cost nearly twice as much as building a new one, prompting the government to approve a complete reconstruction.
The new Carter Bridge project is valued at N545 billion and is expected to be completed within 36 months. It will feature a modern cable-stayed section designed to improve navigation and enhance the Lagos skyline. Funding will combine 30 per cent Federal Government counterpart contribution with 70 per cent external borrowing. CCECC emerged as the most technically and commercially viable contractor after a competitive bidding process involving seven firms.
To ensure safety during construction, authorities also ordered the immediate closure of one carriageway of the Eko Bridge from midnight Sunday, May 10, 2026. Umahi explained that illegal sand mining had caused severe damage after a barge struck a pile cap, breaking five supporting piles and causing cracks that compromised the bridge’s stability. “We will not allow people to endanger their lives. We are a responsible administration,” he said.
Officials noted that the closure is necessary to allow engineers and contractors to carry out preliminary work and safety assessments without risk to motorists. While transport experts warn of initial traffic disruptions, they say the long-term benefits will ease congestion in one of Africa’s most densely populated cities. Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes as traffic management plans are being put in place.
The reconstruction is part of broader infrastructure renewal efforts under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Deputy Managing Director of CCECC, Mr Irwin Guo, said the project was about more than concrete and steel. “It is about the people, it is about the benefit, the well being and the prosperity of the Nigerian citizens. It is about the family, about the traders, about the workers and every Nigerian whose daily life is touched by this crossing,” he said.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who attended the ceremony, welcomed the intervention. “Your Excellency, the bridge reconstruction project is important. Carter Bridge is 60 years old. We went on an inspection with you, entered the boats, went through the foot of the bridge, and we saw with our eyes that something needs to be done, and I am happy that you didn’t waste time to take action,” he said.
