The Federal Government has inaugurated a N40 billion Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance centre on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, marking a major step toward improving security and monitoring on the iconic infrastructure.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project was executed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
Speaking at the inauguration on Sunday, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, said the administration inherited severely deteriorated bridge infrastructure when it assumed office in 2023.
According to him, the Third Mainland Bridge, alongside Carter and Iddo bridges, was in poor condition, with defects affecting the pavement, surface, superstructure and even underwater components.
“The President directed a total re-evaluation and comprehensive rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge, including the replacement of its expansion joints,” Umahi said. “Lagosians were pleased with the outcome, and the project has continued to perform well because of the quality of work delivered.”
He commended CCECC for the successful execution of the project and disclosed that, as part of the contract, a surveillance boat and two Hilux patrol vans would be handed over to the Nigeria Police for effective monitoring of the bridge.
Umahi explained that the CCTV project includes a designated lay-by on the bridge, enabling security operatives to observe all activities along the corridor. He also expressed concern over excessive speeding by motorists and urged road users to comply with traffic regulations.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olufemi Dare, described the CCTV centre as the first of its kind in Nigeria.
“I doubt if there is any bridge in the country with this level of surveillance infrastructure, covering both underwater sections and the bridge deck itself,” Dare said.
He listed key features of the facility to include a dedicated surveillance boat, two Hilux vans, 240 solar panels, 10 inverters, a 300KVA transformer, a standby generator, multiple monitoring screens and a fully air-conditioned control centre. He also noted that 1,268 solar-powered streetlights and a borehole were included in the project.
Dare disclosed that the contract sum stood at N40.17 billion, adding that the Federal Government had so far paid N36 billion to the contractor.
“This commissioning marks the first phase of the project. We will return for a full-scale commissioning once the extension of the bridge is completed,” he said.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving the project and praised the Minister of Works for ensuring due process in its execution.
