FG Begins Demolition of Carter Bridge as ₦548.98bn Replacement Project Moves Ahead

The Federal Government has begun the process of replacing Lagos’ historic Carter Bridge, moving ahead with a ₦548.98 billion reconstruction project after years of structural assessments concluded that the bridge could no longer be safely rehabilitated.

The Federal Executive Council approved the full demolition and reconstruction in April, with Works Minister David Umahi saying investigations conducted in 2013, 2019 and again under the current administration found serious deterioration in the bridge’s underwater piles and pile caps. The assessments, according to the minister, showed that the damage had progressed to a point where continued repairs would not provide a lasting solution.

The project subsequently moved into the execution phase on May 6, when the Federal Government formally handed the new Carter Bridge project to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). The ministry said the contractor was selected through a competitive procurement process, with six firms submitting bids after seven companies were invited.

The replacement is expected to take about 36 months. Rather than simply reproduce the existing crossing, the government says the new bridge will be longer, measuring about 1.93 kilometres compared with the current 1.525 kilometres, and will incorporate a flyover ramp intended to tackle a persistent traffic bottleneck. The design will also provide two 105-metre navigational channels, while officials have said a section will feature a cable-stayed design.

The decision to remove the bridge follows growing concerns over the condition of major Lagos crossings. Umahi said specialist divers and geologists were brought in for fresh underwater investigations after earlier assessments had identified problems. The government says some supporting piles had shifted from their pile caps, underscoring the extent of the deterioration beneath the structure.

The scale of the spending has also attracted attention. The Federal Executive Council approved the Carter Bridge contract at ₦548.98 billion, although the Works Ministry and some reports have subsequently referred to the project as roughly ₦545 billion. Channels Television reported that the financing arrangement would comprise 30 per cent Federal Government counterpart funding and 70 per cent external borrowing.

For Lagos, however, the project is about more than replacing an ageing bridge. Carter Bridge is a crucial connection between Lagos Island and the mainland and sits within one of the city's busiest transport corridors. Any prolonged construction activity will therefore have implications for traffic management, commuting patterns and access to the central business districts.

The Federal Government's decision also comes alongside additional work on other major Lagos bridges. At the same Federal Executive Council meeting, ₦24.89 billion was approved for underwater rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge, with Julius Berger named to execute the work.

The Carter Bridge project is consequently becoming a test of whether Nigeria can turn large infrastructure approvals into projects that are delivered on schedule, within their approved financing arrangements and to the engineering standards promised. For Lagos residents, the immediate question will be how disruption is managed; in the longer term, the bigger measure will be whether the new crossing delivers the safety, capacity and durability that the government says the old bridge can no longer provide.