First Niger Bridge: Umahi orders final safety checks before reopening

The Federal Government has announced that the First Niger Bridge, linking Anambra and Delta states, will reopen to traffic next week after major rehabilitation work is completed.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, gave the assurance on Wednesday during an inspection of the repair work at the Onitsha Bridge Head, Channels Television reported.

The bridge was initially scheduled to reopen on September 21, 2026, after being closed on September 7 for emergency repairs. However, the reopening was delayed by one week because of continued rainfall.

The contractor handling the project, SKECC, has made significant progress on the bridge. The company has replaced and secured bolts that were removed by vandals.

A specialised expansion joint that was also removed by vandals has been manufactured and brought into the country for installation.

Umahi said the government would not rush to reopen the bridge until the major structural work had been completed and safety had been confirmed.

He also directed the contractor to repaint the bridge’s structural components, caps and sections of the carriageway. He ordered the removal of illegal advertisements from the bridge.

The minister further directed the installation of additional solar-powered streetlights and the completion of CCTV cameras. The surveillance system is expected to be linked to the Second Niger Bridge.

Although he praised the progress made in about 10 days, Umahi said safety remained the government’s priority.

He also ordered an assessment of the bridge’s structural components both above and below the water. The assessment report must be completed before the current phase of rehabilitation is concluded.

Why the bridge was closed

The First Niger Bridge was closed after vandals removed important structural components, including bolts, nuts and parts of the expansion joint.

The Federal Ministry of Works had said the closure was necessary to allow emergency maintenance and rehabilitation work on the deteriorating bridge.

The repairs include removing the damaged asphalt surface, laying about 40mm of new asphalt and carrying out other maintenance and safety work.

During the closure, motorists were advised to use the Second Niger Bridge through Obosi and Asaba where possible.

Delta State Commissioner for Works, Rural Roads and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, commended the Federal Government for the progress of the rehabilitation.

He said the instructions given after Umahi inspected the bridge on August 28 had been carried out, including the removal and replacement of damaged sections of the road surface.

The Federal Government has also been working to improve access to the Second Niger Bridge. Construction of a 17.55-kilometre access road in Asaba began in March 2025 as part of Phase 2A of the project.

The government said the road would improve movement between the South-East and South-South regions.

Umahi also directed that concrete, instead of asphalt, should be used on sections of the First Niger Bridge approaches that are likely to undergo reconstruction in the future. He said this would prevent public funds from being wasted on asphalt that may later be removed.