The Federal Government has announced that the Ijora Bridge in Lagos will be completely closed from Saturday, April 27, to begin important repair works.
This was confirmed by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, during a visit to the bridge on Monday.
Kesha said the bridge, which links Ijora Causeway to Apapa, is in urgent need of repairs, especially beneath the road where many parts called “bearings” have become weak and damaged.
“This bridge has been awarded for some time now in different phases,” she explained. “We are now at the final phase, which involves lifting the entire bridge deck to change the faulty bearings beneath. A lot of the bearings are defective, and approximately 50 of them will be replaced across three sections.”
She added that the Ijora Bridge is a very important route because it leads to the Apapa and Tincan ports—two of the busiest in the country.
Kesha said she understands that closing the bridge will cause traffic problems, but the repairs are necessary to prevent the situation from getting worse.
To reduce traffic, she said that cars coming from Ijora will be redirected through the Seven Up Roundabout to reach Apapa. Heavy trucks will be diverted through Costain and Iganmu.
She assured road users that the Ministry of Works had carefully planned the diversions and does not expect major problems. She asked the public for patience and cooperation, stressing that the work is time-sensitive.
“We have received complaints from people who say they feel strong vibrations while driving on the bridge,” she said. “The bridge will not collapse, but it definitely needs help. The bearings, which are like spring supports under the road, are weak.”
According to her, this is the first major repair on the Ijora Bridge since it was built decades ago.
While the first part of the work will require full closure, Kesha said that later tasks like removing and replacing the asphalt may be done in stages, possibly on Sundays, to reduce traffic.
She said the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has directed that any bridge closure must be properly announced to the public.
“We want members of the public to know that this is for their safety. With their cooperation, we can finish this work in time and make the bridge safe again,” Kesha added.
