Monday, January 12, 2026 - Plans have been concluded for the partial demolition of the Iddo Bridge in Lagos, with reconstruction works set to commence next week as part of efforts to overhaul the ageing infrastructure.
The Regional Manager of Julius Berger Nigeria, Mr Thomas
Christl, disclosed this on Sunday during an inspection of the bridge by the
Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi.
Christl explained that structural assessments revealed
severe damage to key sections of the bridge, necessitating the replacement of
three spans to ensure safety and durability.
“Three spans of the existing Iddo Bridge are heavily damaged
and must be replaced,” he said.
According to him, the reconstruction will be executed in
phases to limit traffic disruption.
He noted that the two carriageways would be separated,
allowing work to proceed on one section while traffic is diverted to the other.
“What we are doing now is to separate the two directions. By
next week, traffic will be diverted to one side of the bridge, while one half
will be demolished and rebuilt,” Christl explained.
He added that once reconstruction of the first section is
completed, traffic would be redirected to the new portion to allow demolition
and rebuilding of the second half.
“By the end of March, traffic will likely be moved onto the
newly completed side, after which the remaining section will be demolished and
reconstructed,” he said.
Christl further disclosed that complementary works are
already ongoing beneath the bridge, including upgrades to the drainage system
and underpass.
“We have commenced drainage works, and the outfall into the
lagoon has already been completed,” he said.
He explained that after completing the drainage, the soil
beneath the bridge would be excavated to lower the road level, thereby
increasing clearance and preventing trucks from crashing into the structure, a
major cause of previous damage.
Commenting on the state of the bridge, Senator Umahi
attributed part of the deterioration to a fire incident triggered by illegal
activities under the bridge, which affected several spans.
“Six spans were affected by the fire. What we have done is
to re-asphalt one carriageway so that traffic can be fully diverted there,
after which three spans on the other carriageway will be removed,” Umahi said.
“Once that is completed, traffic will be diverted back, and
we will proceed to demolish and reconstruct the second carriageway,” he added.
The minister disclosed that the reconstruction project,
estimated at about N15 billion, is expected to be completed by June.
He explained that one of the major design improvements
involves increasing the bridge’s headroom from about 4.5 metres to the minimum
required clearance of 5.6 metres.
“That clearance is critical, and we are working towards
achieving it,” Umahi said.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress of work so far,
noting that a bypass route has already been constructed to ease movement.
“Julius Berger is doing well, but I do not want any delays,”
the minister said, adding that he had directed engineers to closely monitor the
project and provide regular updates to ensure timely completion.
Umahi also assured that upon completion, the Federal
Government would deploy closed-circuit television cameras beneath and on top of
the bridge to enhance security, similar to measures already implemented on the
Third Mainland Bridge.
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