First Niger Bridge to Remain Closed Until Major Rehabilitation Is Completed

The Federal Government has extended the closure of the First Niger Bridge linking Anambra and Delta states as major structural rehabilitation works continue on the ageing bridge. Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, gave the update on Wednesday, September 23, after inspecting the ongoing rehabilitation at the Onitsha Bridge Head.

Umahi said the government would not rush to reopen the bridge until critical structural repairs had been completed and the facility was confirmed safe for motorists. “We are not going to be stampeded to open the bridge until the major structural work has been achieved,” the minister said.

The bridge was originally scheduled to reopen on September 21 after being closed earlier this month for emergency repairs. However, persistent rainfall affected the rehabilitation work, resulting in a one-week extension. The closure followed the discovery that vandals had removed critical structural components, including bolts, nuts and sections of the bridge’s expansion-joint steelwork.

The contractor, SKECC, has since replaced and secured the vandalised bolts, while a specialised expansion joint removed from the bridge has been manufactured and brought into the country for installation. Umahi also directed that additional rehabilitation work be carried out, including repainting the bridge’s structural components, caps and sections of the internal carriageway.

The minister ordered the removal of illegal advertisements from the bridge and directed the installation of additional solar-powered streetlights. CCTV cameras on the bridge are also to be completed and linked to the surveillance system on the Second Niger Bridge.

He further ordered an assessment of the bridge’s structural components both above and below the water to determine their condition. The assessment report is expected before the current phase of rehabilitation is concluded.

Despite the delay, the Federal Government says the bridge is expected to reopen next week once the major rehabilitation work and necessary safety checks are completed. )

The First Niger Bridge remains an important transport link between the South-East and South-South regions, connecting Onitsha in Anambra State with Asaba in Delta State. Its continued closure has increased reliance on the Second Niger Bridge and other alternative routes.