Nigeria's Minister of Works, David Umahi, has ordered that only pictures of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu be displayed on the First Niger Bridge after its rehabilitation. The directive was given during an inspection of the bridge on September 23, 2026. The bridge, which connects Anambra and Delta states, is currently undergoing rehabilitation work and is expected to reopen to motorists next week. Umahi announced that all illegal advertisements on the bridge would be removed.
The First Niger Bridge was shut to traffic earlier this month due to the discovery of vandalized structural components. The Federal Government had initially scheduled the closure from September 7 to September 21 for emergency maintenance work. However, persistent rainfall affected the rehabilitation, forcing an extension of the closure by another week. The bridge's rehabilitation includes repairs to the carriageway and walkways, replacement of expansion joints, and installation of CCTV cameras and additional lighting infrastructure.
According to Umahi, the vandalized bolts have been replaced and secured, and a specialized expansion joint that was removed has been manufactured and brought into the country for installation. The minister also directed that more solar-powered streetlights be installed and that the CCTV system be completed. The surveillance system will be connected to the Second Niger Bridge to strengthen monitoring around the two major bridges.
Umahi raised concerns about activities around the bridge that could affect its structural integrity. He directed the governors of Anambra and Delta states to pay closer attention to scrap markets in their states, following the discovery that components of the bridge had been removed by vandals. The minister also appealed to residents to report suspicious activities around the bridge to security agencies.
The minister warned that vandalism of public infrastructure could continue to create additional costs for the country. He also spoke about dredging activities around the bridge, stating that activities capable of affecting the foundation or structural stability of bridges must be restricted. Umahi disclosed that his ministry would engage security agencies on the enforcement of restrictions on dredging around bridges.
Umahi also directed that security checkpoints should not be established within 200 meters of the bridge, as prolonged traffic caused by checkpoints could create additional pressure on the structure. He reminded residents that the South-East did not give Tinubu strong electoral support during the 2023 presidential election but argued that the region had continued to benefit from federal government projects under his administration.
The minister commended the contractor handling the rehabilitation for the progress recorded despite the weather conditions. He thanked the governments and people of Anambra and Delta states for their cooperation during the closure and apologized to motorists and businesses affected by the diversion of traffic. The First Niger Bridge was completed in 1965 and has remained one of the major transportation links between the eastern and western parts of southern Nigeria.
Key points
- The First Niger Bridge is set to reopen next week after a rehabilitation that included repairs to its structural components and installation of new infrastructure.
- Minister of Works David Umahi directed that only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's pictures be displayed on the bridge.
- The bridge's rehabilitation was extended due to persistent rainfall, but the minister assured that it would not reopen until all structural repairs are completed.
