The Federal Government has officially launched a ₦40 billion high-tech CCTV control centre for the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, marking a major step toward improving security, regulating traffic, and preventing tragic incidents on one of Nigeria’s busiest bridges.
The newly inaugurated facility is designed to allow real-time monitoring of activities on and around the bridge, helping security agencies tackle issues such as reckless driving and attempted suicides. The project forms part of broader infrastructure upgrades ordered by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony on Sunday, Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the administration inherited severe structural and safety challenges across several key bridges in Lagos, including the Third Mainland Bridge, Carter Bridge and Iddo Bridge.
According to Umahi, extensive deterioration was discovered not only on the bridge surfaces but also in critical components above and below the waterline when the government assumed office in 2023.
He explained that President Tinubu subsequently directed a comprehensive reassessment and full rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge, including the replacement of expansion joints and resurfacing works.
“The response from Lagos residents has been very positive because the quality of the rehabilitation speaks for itself,” Umahi said, adding that the completed work has continued to perform well since its commissioning.
The minister praised China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for delivering the project to standard, noting that the contract went beyond road repairs to include advanced security infrastructure.
As part of the arrangement, Umahi revealed that security assets provided under the project — including a surveillance boat and two Hilux patrol vehicles — would be handed over to the Nigeria Police Force to enhance monitoring and response on the bridge. He added that other security agencies could be integrated into the operation if required.
Umahi also raised concerns about frequent cases of excessive speeding on the bridge and appealed to motorists to adhere strictly to traffic regulations to prevent accidents.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olufemi Dare, described the newly unveiled control centre as a landmark development, noting that no other bridge in the country currently has such an extensive surveillance system.
He explained that the facility allows for continuous monitoring of the bridge structure, its traffic flow, and even underwater components, making it a first-of-its-kind deployment in Nigeria.
Dare listed the infrastructure installed at the control centre to include a surveillance boat, two Hilux vans, 240 solar panels, 10 inverters, a 300KVA transformer, a backup power generator and multiple live-monitoring screens. He added that the project also covers 1,268 solar-powered street lights and a borehole system.
The Federal Controller disclosed that the contract was awarded at a total cost of ₦40.17 billion, with ₦36 billion already disbursed to the contractor.
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Umahi noted that Sunday’s event marked only the initial phase of the project’s commissioning. He said additional installations would be unveiled upon the completion of ongoing extension works on the bridge, promising a more comprehensive commissioning ceremony in the near future.
