FG Hands Over N545bn New Carter Bridge Project to CCECC, Orders Partial Shutdown of Eko Bridge Over Structural Threat

By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters

The Federal Government has officially handed over the construction of a new Carter Bridge in Lagos to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), while also announcing the emergency closure of one carriageway of the Eko Bridge following what authorities described as severe structural damage caused by illegal sand mining activities.

The disclosure was made in a press release issued by the Office of the Honourable Minister of Works and signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Francis Nwaze, on May 6, 2026.

Speaking during the handover ceremony held at Carter Bridge, Lagos Island, the Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, said the decision to replace the aging Carter Bridge followed alarming underwater structural investigations which revealed worsening defects beneath both Carter Bridge and the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

Umahi disclosed that earlier investigations conducted in 2013 and 2019 exposed serious structural deterioration, which he said had continued to worsen over the years.

“The past administration commissioned investigation of what was happening with the structural elements below the water, and that was in 2013. And the very disturbing defects were noticed in Carter Bridge and 3rd Mainland Bridge,” the Minister stated.

According to him, fresh underwater investigations ordered by the current administration confirmed that some piles supporting the bridges had shifted from their pile caps, posing significant danger to public safety.

“It’s just like the hip of the leg is cut off,” Umahi said while explaining the extent of the structural damage.

He revealed that after extensive consultations with local and foreign bridge experts, stakeholders, and members of the National Assembly, the government concluded that constructing a brand-new bridge would be more cost-effective than repairing the existing structure.

The Minister announced that part of the new Carter Bridge would feature a modern cable-stayed design similar to world-class bridges seen internationally.

“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.

Umahi disclosed that the 36-month project is valued at N545 billion and will be funded through a combination of Federal Government counterpart funding and external borrowing, with the Federal Government contributing 30 percent while 70 percent will be sourced externally.

He also defended the procurement process, noting that seven construction firms were invited to bid for the project, while six companies, including Julius Berger, eventually submitted bids.

“The CCECC 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,” he explained.

The Minister formally handed over the project site to CCECC and directed the company to immediately mobilise to site, assuring Nigerians that the Ministry would conduct monthly monitoring to ensure strict compliance with technical and safety standards.

“By the authority of our president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR… it is the president that has started this work, and God will give him enablement and the second tenure to complete this project,” Umahi added.

Meanwhile, the Minister raised alarm over the condition of the Eko Bridge, blaming illegal dredging and sand mining operations for damaging critical structural components of the bridge.

According to him, illegal miners struck one of the bridge’s pile caps with a barge, destroying several support piles in the process.

“When they knocked the pile cap, they broke three piles. And when they were trying to remove the barge, they broke another two,” he disclosed.

Umahi warned that the incident has caused dangerous cracks and structural instability on a section of the bridge, forcing the government to order the shutdown of one carriageway of the Eko Bridge beginning midnight on Sunday, May 10, 2026.

“We will not allow people to endanger their lives. We are a responsible administration,” the Minister declared.

He explained that the Federal Government has already developed an emergency technical solution involving the lifting of an entire bridge span to allow engineers access to the damaged sections beneath the structure.

According to him, Buildwell Construction will handle the emergency repairs in collaboration with specialist divers conducting underwater structural investigations.

The Minister further revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been fully briefed on the situation and directed that immediate action be taken.

“President said I must be in Lagos to examine it and then treat it as an emergency situation. And that is what we are doing,” Umahi said.

Appealing for public understanding, the Minister assured Lagos residents that the Federal Government remains committed to protecting lives and preserving critical national infrastructure.

“We are solving problems we didn’t create, but that’s why you voted for us, and that we are going to be working day and night,” he stated.