Minister of works, David Umahi, has declared the rehabilitated Independence Bridge in Lagos fit for use as he reopened it. The Bridge, which would have been closed to traffic for two months, became an emergency and was, therefore, reopened Friday afternoon as promised.
This was after a 72-hour work by construction firm, Buildwell, which was supervised by the minister himself. The bridge was shut down because a section on Victoria Island outbound caved in, became unusable and turned into an emergency project.
Umahi said a more permanent work would be done on the bridge after three weeks. The minister said that when the bridge was to be closed, there wasn’t enough announcement about alternative routes so that Lagosians who bore the pain of the closure would have worked out how to navigate.
He said in case of road or bridge closure in the future, the concerned Works controller or engineer must make full disclosure of alternative routes first.
Umahi expressed appreciation to Hitech Construction Company for its support and materials provided for the repair work, and all the engineers and workers who worked night and day to ensure that the bridge was reopened as fast as possible.
He also was thankful to Buildwell, the contractor that handled the work. “They didn’t first ask about price and cost when they were asked to provide their equipment,” the minister disclosed.
According to Umahi, the damage to the bridge was caused by the escape of sand beneath the roadway, which led to gradual sinking before the road eventually collapsed. The contractor, Buildwell, has constructed a retaining wall on piles to prevent further sand loss, stabilizing the structure.
Providing further details, the minister explained that the long-term repairs will be carried out in phases to minimize traffic disruption. The initial phase involves filling the affected section with sub-sand and laying a 450mm-thick stone base, allowing traffic to resume for two weeks.
After this period, reconstruction of the bridge deck will begin in sections, with traffic restricted to one half of the carriageway while work progresses on the other.
Umahi noted that completing the first carriageway could take up to two months, as the concrete slab will require 21 days to cure before traffic can be diverted to the repaired section and work can commence on the remaining half.
On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, Lagos experienced severe gridlock following the closure of the Independence Bridge (Marina-bound) for rehabilitation, which began the previous day, April 1. The shutdown disrupted traffic flow across major routes on Lagos Island, forcing motorists to seek alternative routes that quickly became overwhelmed.
The situation was worsened by heavy rainfall in Victoria Island, further slowing movement. Many commuters were trapped in traffic for over 12 hours, with some only reaching their destinations the following morning.
