The Federal Government has launched emergency repair efforts on key bridges along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, following serious structural concerns uncovered during an official inspection led by the Minister of Works, David Umahi.
During the inspection tour, which included directors of highways, engineers from the Federal Ministry of Works, and officials from Lagos and Ogun States, the team examined five critical bridges, including those at Lotto, Ogere, Sapade, and Alapako. The findings raised alarm over deteriorating infrastructure, including corroded reinforcement rods and bridge damage caused by repeated collisions with heavy-duty vehicles.
The most urgent concern was the Alapako Bridge, which Umahi immediately ordered shut down due to safety risks. “This bridge poses a significant threat to road users and must be closed for emergency intervention,” he said. He also noted that many of the bridges had inadequate clearance for modern transport demands, despite original specifications requiring a minimum headroom of 5.6 meters.
To address future challenges, Umahi directed that all new bridge designs must meet a minimum clearance height of 6.5 meters to accommodate larger trucks and trailers now common on Nigerian highways.
In a related development, the minister halted ongoing work on the 12-kilometre Sagamu-Iperu Road near the Sagamu Interchange. He expressed dissatisfaction with the quality and pace of the project, giving the contractor a seven-day ultimatum to submit a revised design and cost estimate.
“This is an emergency. If we act now, we can fix these problems with far less cost than what it would take if the bridges collapse,” Umahi stated, stressing the importance of proactive maintenance to avoid massive reconstruction costs in the future.
The inspection and ensuing directives are part of the federal government’s broader agenda to upgrade Nigeria’s transport infrastructure, improve safety for road users, and ensure uninterrupted economic activity on one of the country’s busiest highways.
