The Federal Government has officially handed over the reconstruction of the Carter Bridge in Lagos to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) as part of efforts to safeguard critical infrastructure and improve public safety.
The handover ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Carter Bridge on Lagos Island, with the Minister of Works, David Umahi, saying years of structural investigations revealed worsening defects beneath both Carter Bridge and the Third Mainland Bridge.
According to a statement issued by Umahi’s aide, Francis Nwaze, underwater investigations first carried out in 2013 uncovered disturbing defects in the structural elements supporting the bridges. Another assessment conducted in 2019 reportedly showed that the deterioration had worsened significantly.
Umahi explained that after the current administration took office, geologists and specialist divers were engaged to carry out fresh underwater inspections. The findings confirmed that some bridge piles had shifted away from their pile caps, raising serious safety concerns.
“It’s just like the hip of the leg is cut off,” the minister said while describing the extent of the structural damage.
The minister said consultations were held with local and international bridge experts, stakeholders and members of the National Assembly before the government decided to build a new bridge instead of carrying out repairs.
According to him, repairing the existing Carter Bridge would cost nearly twice as much as constructing a new one.
Umahi disclosed that part of the new bridge will feature a modern cable-stayed design aimed at improving navigation and enhancing the aesthetics of Lagos.
“We decided that a section of this Carter Bridge will be a cable bridge. You see the cable bridge we see overseas, very beautiful, and that is to enhance our navigational activities,” he said.
The minister said the project is expected to last 36 months and praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure renewal across the country.
He added that due process was followed in selecting the contractor, with seven firms invited and six submitting bids, including Julius Berger.
“The CECC was technically and commercially most viable. And that’s why the BPP recommended them, and the Federal Executive Council has awarded the project to them,” Umahi stated.
The ₦545 billion project will be funded through a combination of Federal Government counterpart funding and external borrowing. The Federal Government will provide 30 per cent of the funding, while 70 per cent will come from external sources.
Eko Bridge Carriageway To Be Closed
Umahi also announced the emergency closure of one carriageway of the Eko Bridge following severe structural damage allegedly caused by illegal sand mining activities.
He said illegal dredgers damaged several supporting piles after a barge struck one of the bridge’s pile caps.
“When they knocked the pile cap, they broke three piles. And when they were trying to remove the barge, they broke another two,” he explained.
The minister warned that the damage had caused dangerous cracks and structural instability, prompting the government to shut one carriageway of the bridge from midnight on Sunday, May 10, 2026, while the unaffected section remains open to traffic.
“We will not allow people to endanger their lives. We are a responsible administration,” Umahi said.
He added that the government had designed an emergency technical solution involving lifting part of the bridge to expose and repair the damaged sections.
According to him, Buildwell Construction will handle the emergency repairs alongside underwater investigations by specialist divers.
The minister said President Tinubu had been fully briefed on the situation and directed that the matter be treated urgently.
