The federal government announced on Wednesday that it plans to demolish and rebuild three central spans of the Iddo Bridge in Lagos, which has suffered structural damage due to a fire caused by illegal occupants and repeated truck collisions.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, who stated this while briefing newsmen at the bridge site in Lagos, said the repair, which was part of the federal government’s plan to address structural defects and restore the bridge to a safe and durable state, would last about three months.
According to her, heavy and articulated vehicles will be restricted from using the bridge beginning next weekend to allow for the installation of height barriers and the commencement of the repair work.
She said after that, on November 22, demolition of the bridge deck proper would start.
She said the diversions would start from Apapa-bound to Carter Bridge-bound and would be in a counterflow direction.
“We are here to inform Lagosians that the Iddo Bridge will soon be closed to articulated vehicles.
“This restriction is necessary because the bridge has not received proper attention for many years and now requires urgent repairs,” she said.
Kesha noted that while the demolition and reconstruction would take place in phases, the Apapa-bound section would be the first to undergo work.
She said traffic would be diverted to the Carter Bridge side, with a counterflow arrangement for light vehicles only.
The controller assured that the ministry had held meetings with relevant traffic and security agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, and the Police, to ensure smooth movement during the construction period.
She urged drivers, especially those operating trailers and trucks, to comply with diversion signs and use alternative routes through the Eko Bridge, Costain, Third Mainland Bridge, and Herbert Macaulay Way.
“We don’t want accidents. That’s why we are creating awareness early, especially for truck drivers who may not get information through the media,” Kesha said.
She added that advocacy campaigns would also be taken to garages, parks, and transport unions to ensure widespread awareness of the planned restriction.
Kesha said the project, expected to be completed by early March 2026, was designed to enhance safety and improve traffic flow once fully reopened.
It will be recalled that the federal government, in July, stated it had negotiated the cost of the Iddo Bridge rehabilitation from an initial N27 billion to N17 billion.
The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made this known to journalists during an inspection of the bridge in Lagos.
He said, “Julius Berger quoted, I think, N27 billion or thereabout, but after much negotiation and discussion, we have now arrived at N17 billion.”
He said that three spans of the bridge were severely damaged by fire, which he attributed to the activities of illegal occupants who had built makeshift homes under the bridge.
“They brought in chemicals, built block walls and set up homes. Then, they set fire that burnt the bridge and damaged three spans. Now we are going to fix the bridge completely,” Umahi said.
The minister stated that the Iddo Bridge, now with a headroom of approximately 4.5 metres, had suffered significant structural damage due to continuous impacts from trucks and the presence of illegal structures beneath it.
