The Federal Government has announced the planned closure of one carriageway of the Eko Bridge in Lagos from Sunday night to commence emergency structural repairs on a damaged section of the bridge.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this on Wednesday during the site handover of the Carter Bridge to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Umahi said the closure is part of urgent intervention works aimed at rehabilitating weakened structural components, including the replacement of damaged supports and reinforcement of affected sections of the bridge.
He explained that while one carriageway will remain open to traffic, the damaged section must be fully shut to allow engineers to carry out comprehensive repairs safely.
“By the midnight of this coming Sunday, that full carriageway must be closed. The other carriageway will be working,” Umahi said.
He also directed officials of the Federal Ministry of Works to collaborate with the Lagos State Government on public sensitisation and the identification of alternative traffic routes to ease congestion during the repair period.
“We will not allow people to endanger their lives. We are a responsible administration, and it is a problem not caused by us but a challenge before us,” he added.
According to the minister, the repair plan involves lifting an entire span of the affected section to expose the pier and pier cap for full structural assessment. This will include additional piling, reinforcement works, and replacement of damaged piles beneath the bridge.
Umahi further stated that Buildwell Construction Company and professional divers will conduct detailed investigations to determine the full extent of the damage. The assessment is expected to be completed within 10 days to guide the next phase of rehabilitation.
He apologised to Lagos residents for the expected traffic disruptions, noting that parts of the bridge had previously suffered fire damage caused by traders storing chemicals and goods under the structure.
The minister also revealed that rehabilitation works had earlier been awarded before the current administration but were delayed due to funding constraints. He added that President Bola Tinubu has since approved renewed funding for the project.
Umahi further disclosed that the Federal Government is also considering rehabilitation works on the Third Mainland Bridge following concerns over deteriorating structural components.
