Umahi Reopens Independence Bridge After Emergency Repairs

The Independence Bridge in Lagos has been officially reopened by the Federal Government following emergency repair works.

This comes two days after millions of Lagosians were locked in hours-long gridlock, following the earlier closure of the bridge for planned maintenance and rehabilitation works.

Following public outcry as a result of the bridge closure, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, ordered the immediate reopening of the bridge on Thursday.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had apologised to residents for the gridlock experienced due to the rehabilitation of the bridge.

Speaking at the reopening ceremony on Friday, the minister said the closure was prompted by a structural failure involving the approach slab of the bridge, which caved in due to a faulty design.

He stated the initial construction of the approach slab was done as a cantilever, which was structurally inappropriate.

 “It’s not supposed to be a cantilever. What we had was a free-standing approach slab, which is incorrect. Every approach slab must have at least one end fixed,” he said.

The minister disclosed that the slab failed when the sand fill beneath it leaked, compromising its integrity and posing a serious risk to commuters.

Umahi described the situation as an emergency, admitting that proper procedures were not followed in announcing the closure.

He announced plans to introduce a standardized national procedure for road and bridge closures.

“The mistake that the controller, Olukorede Kesha, made was that she did not notify us. We also didn’t adequately inform Lagosians of the alternative routes.

“Going forward, no road or bridge in Nigeria will be closed without a clearly defined process. Controllers must submit drone surveys, state the nature of the technical problem and solution, propose alternative routes, and publish this information to the public,” he said.

The minister also disclosed that the bridge is now set for a redesign to ensure long-term stability. “We have decided to redesign the project as a one-span bridge. This will eliminate the lateral head pressure on the abutment and address unknown factors such as piling depth,” he said.

Umahi explained that Lagos bridges, including the Third Mainland, Carter, and Iddo bridges, are held by skin-friction piling, meaning they depend on the surrounding sand for stability.

“Any scouring or sand excavation puts the piles at risk,” he said, noting that ongoing studies will guide further reinforcement work.”

Umahi stated that more permanent work would commence in three weeks, once the integrity of underground pipes is verified.

He also outlined a staged construction approach to minimize disruption, including splitting road works into two phases with each phase lasting about 21 days.

The Minister emphasised that future construction schedules would be designed for the convenience of the public, with some projects carried out exclusively on weekends or at night.

He added that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) would be involved in traffic monitoring during the repairs.

“This is not just about engineering; it’s about communication, safety, and accountability. We owe it to Nigerians to do better,” the minister stated.