The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the complete demolition and reconstruction of the Carter Bridge in Lagos, ending decades of patch repairs on a structure that engineers have declared beyond saving. Minister of Works David Umahi announced the approval following Thursday's Federal Executive Council meeting, confirming that the iconic bridge connecting Lagos Island to the mainland will be entirely brought down and rebuilt at a total contract cost of N548.98 billion.
Expert Assessments Confirm Structural Failure
The decision was not made lightly. Sources indicate that independent investigations conducted at three separate points in 2013, 2019, and again under the current administration through Julius Berger all arrived at the same conclusion: the bridge cannot be saved. Umahi stated, "We convened a stakeholders' engagement, and all the technical experts all over the country, and even internationally, all agreed that we could not redeem Carter Bridge, and it has to be completely demolished and rebuilt." The minister explained that the bridge's underwater piles and pile caps had deteriorated at a "geometrical progression," making full reconstruction the only viable path forward.
Contract Award and New Bridge Specifications
The contract was awarded to CCCC following a competitive bidding process that included Julius Berger, CCECC, CBC, and China Harbour High Tech. The new structure will be significantly larger than the current one. The bridge's total length will increase from 1.525 kilometers to 1.93 kilometers, with the addition of a flyover ramp specifically designed to address the notorious bottleneck that has frustrated commuters in the area for years. Umahi noted, "We've gone through rigorous procurement and design. The initial total length of that bridge was 1.525 kilometers, with three lanes, dualised. We have now increased the project to 1.93 kilometers because we increased a flyover ramp, so that the bottleneck that is usually there will no longer exist. The total contract sum approved is N548.98 billion."
Additional Approvals and Historical Context
The new bridge will also feature a navigational waterway measuring 105 meters by two. In a separate approval at the same FEC meeting, N24.89 billion was approved for underwater elements of the Third Mainland Bridge, to be handled by Julius Berger. These projects are part of a broader set being readied for commissioning ahead of President Bola Tinubu's third anniversary in office on May 29. Carter Bridge is one of Lagos's oldest and most historically significant structures. Named after Gilbert Carter, a former British governor of Lagos Colony, the bridge has served as a critical artery across Lagos Lagoon for decades. Its decline has been attributed to a combination of age, heavy traffic load, and the corrosive effects of its saltwater environment on its foundational infrastructure. For Lagos commuters, the demolition signals the beginning of something better.
