Thousands of Lagos motorists and commuters have received a major relief after the Federal Government announced the suspension of the planned closure of the Eko Bridge, which had earlier been scheduled for urgent repair works and safety investigations. The decision followed concerns over the severe hardship and traffic congestion the closure would have caused residents and businesses across the state.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed the development during an inspection tour of the bridge in Lagos. According to him, the Federal Government initially ordered the closure after structural concerns were discovered on parts of the bridge, including visible cracks and damaged support piles identified during technical assessments.
Umahi explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally directed the Ministry of Works to reconsider the planned shutdown in order to avoid worsening the already difficult traffic situation in Lagos. He stated that the President was deeply concerned about the impact a total closure would have on millions of Nigerians who rely on the bridge daily for movement between the mainland and Lagos Island. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
According to the minister, engineers and technical experts carried out another round of evaluations on the bridge and concluded that the structure remains safe for use for now, making an immediate shutdown unnecessary. He however stressed that the government would continue to monitor the bridge closely to ensure public safety is not compromised at any point.
Umahi revealed that rather than proceed with a full closure immediately, the ministry has adopted alternative safety measures, including continuous monitoring of the affected sections and periodic structural assessments to detect any further deterioration. He assured Lagos residents that authorities would not hesitate to take stronger action if the bridge becomes unsafe in the future.
The Eko Bridge is one of the major routes connecting Lagos Island to the mainland and serves as a critical transport corridor for commercial and private vehicles across Nigeria’s economic capital. Any prolonged closure of the bridge was expected to trigger massive gridlock on alternative routes such as the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge.
The Federal Government had earlier announced plans to partially shut down sections of the bridge after investigations reportedly showed serious structural defects beneath parts of the infrastructure. Officials said some support piles had shifted, raising fears about the long-term stability of the bridge if urgent rehabilitation works were delayed.
Despite suspending the closure for now, the Ministry of Works insisted that rehabilitation plans for the bridge have not been abandoned. Authorities assured the public that repair works and technical investigations would continue in phases while efforts are made to minimise disruptions to traffic and economic activities in Lagos.
