The Federal Government has officially handed over the construction of a new Carter Bridge in Lagos to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation as part of efforts to strengthen critical infrastructure and improve public safety.
The handover ceremony took place on Wednesday at Carter Bridge.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the decision followed years of structural investigations which revealed worsening defects beneath both the Carter Bridge and the Third Mainland Bridge.
According to the minister, underwater investigations first carried out in 2013 and repeated in 2019 showed increasing structural defects in the bridges’ support systems.
Umahi explained that after the current administration came into office, further underwater assessments involving geologists and specialist divers confirmed that some piles supporting the bridges had shifted from their pile caps.
He described the damage as severe and said consultations were held with local and foreign bridge experts, stakeholders and lawmakers before the government resolved to construct an entirely new bridge.
The minister noted that repairing the existing Carter Bridge would cost almost twice the amount required to build a new structure.
He added that part of the new bridge would feature a cable-stayed design aimed at improving navigation and enhancing the aesthetics of Lagos.
Umahi disclosed that the project is expected to last 36 months.
The minister said the contract was awarded after a competitive bidding process involving seven companies, with six firms, including Julius Berger, submitting bids.
According to him, CCECC emerged as the most technically and commercially viable company, leading to approval by the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council.
The ₦545 billion project will be funded through a combination of Federal Government counterpart funding and external borrowing, with the Federal Government providing 30 per cent while 70 per cent will come from external sources.
Umahi directed the contractor to immediately mobilise to the site, assuring Nigerians that the Ministry of Works would closely monitor the project to ensure compliance with technical and safety standards.
Meanwhile, the minister also announced the emergency closure of one carriageway of the Eko Bridge following structural damage linked to illegal sand mining activities around the bridge.
He said illegal dredging operations damaged several supporting piles after a barge struck one of the bridge’s pile caps.
According to the minister, the incident weakened part of the bridge and created dangerous cracks that could threaten lives if urgent repairs are not carried out.
Umahi announced that one carriageway of the bridge would be shut from midnight on Sunday, May 10, 2026, while the unaffected section remains open to traffic.
He said the Federal Government has already designed an emergency repair solution involving the lifting of an entire bridge span to access and repair the damaged sections beneath.
The emergency repairs will be handled by Buildwell Construction alongside underwater investigations by specialist divers.
The minister assured residents that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been fully briefed and directed that the matter be treated as an emergency.
