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• Orders only Tinubu’s pictures displayed on bridge
The Federal Government has announced that the First Niger Bridge linking Anambra and Delta States will reopen to traffic next week following the completion of key rehabilitation works.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, gave the assurance, yesterday, after inspecting ongoing repairs at the Onitsha Bridge Head.
The Federal Ministry of Works had announced the closure of the bridge from September 7 to September 21, 2026, but the reopening was extended by one week due to persistent rainfall.
The contractor, SKECC, had made significant progress on the rehabilitation of the First Niger Bridge, including replacing and properly securing bolts removed by vandals. The specialised expansion joint removed by vandals had been manufactured and brought into the country for installation.
“The Federal Government says the First Niger Bridge will reopen to traffic next week, following the completion of key rehabilitation works on the bridge linking Anambra and Delta States. We are not going to be stampeded to open the bridge until the major structural work has been achieved,” Umahi said.
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Umahi also directed the contractor to repaint the bridge’s structural components, caps, and internal carriageway sections and remove illegal advertisements from the facility. He also ordered the installation of additional solar-powered streetlights and completion of CCTV cameras, with the surveillance system to be linked to the Second Niger Bridge.
While acknowledging the progress made in the last 10 days, Umahi stressed that safety would remain the priority before the bridge is reopened. He also directed an empirical assessment of the bridge’s structural elements above and below the water level, with the assessment report required before the current phase of rehabilitation is concluded.
Meanwhile, Umahi has directed that only pictures of President Bola Tinubu be displayed on the First Niger Bridge after the completion of the ongoing rehabilitation work. The minister ordered the removal of illegal advertisements currently mounted on the bridge and directed that future advertisements must receive approval from the Ministry of Works.
“Once we are done with work on this bridge, I want all the illegal adverts on this bridge removed. Anyone who wants to advertise should apply to the Ministry of Works. For now, the bridge will be decorated with the pictures of President Tinubu. The President has worked so hard, and we need to reward his hard work by decorating this bridge with his pictures,” Umahi said.
