The full rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State cost about ₦43 billion, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has confirmed.
Umahi disclosed the figures on Monday while briefing journalists in Lagos. He said the work included resurfacing the entire 14 km length of the bridge, covering both carriageways and replacing worn expansion joints, as well as repainting concrete structures and installing solar-powered streetlights.
Part of the overall contract also covered the construction of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) control centre, which Umahi said cost about ₦2.5 billion, and not ₦40 billion as some reports have claimed.
The CCTV facility — described by officials as the first of its kind on any Nigerian bridge — was inaugurated recently and includes features such as 240 solar panels, multiple monitoring screens, 10 inverters, a 300 kVA transformer, a standby generator, a surveillance boat, and two Hilux vans for rapid response and security operations.
Speaking during the commissioning, Umahi said the current administration found not only the Third Mainland Bridge but also Carter Bridge and Iddo Bridge in a very poor state when it assumed office in 2023, prompting a thorough re-evaluation and rehabilitation effort.
The project, executed in partnership with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is intended to improve safety, reduce structural wear, and enhance real-time monitoring of traffic and potential incidents on one of Lagos’s busiest transport links.
Umahi also reiterated that there are no plans to toll the rehabilitated bridge, a decision based on concerns about adding structural load and causing traffic bottlenecks.
Key Verified Points
- The rehabilitation cost: ₦43 billion.
- CCTV centre cost: ₦2.5 billion, not ₦40 billion.
- The project included extensive resurfacing and structural upgrades.
- The CCTV control centre is the first of its kind in Nigeria.
- The government has ruled out tolling the bridge.