In a major move to enhance safety and security on Lagos’ Third Mainland Bridge, the Federal Government has inaugurated a state of the art CCTV control centre equipped to monitor activities on the bridge in real time.
The facility, commissioned on Sunday, is part of a broader rehabilitation and safety upgrade of the bridge undertaken by the current administration. According to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, the surveillance system is aimed at addressing persistent challenges on the bridge, including reckless driving, security threats, and suicide incidents.
“The idea is that we can see everything that is happening on the bridge,” during the inauguration, stressing that the system would enable continuous monitoring and enforcement of speed limits by security personnel’’ Umahi said.
Umahi explained that when the administration assumed office in 2023, the Third Mainland Bridge was in poor condition, requiring extensive structural assessments and repairs both above and below the waterline. He noted that President Bola Tinubu approved a comprehensive rehabilitation programme, including the replacement of critical components such as expansion joints.
The minister Stressed the completed repairs have significantly improved driving conditions and extended the lifespan of the bridge, while the newly installed CCTV system adds a crucial layer of safety and oversight.
Providing technical details, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olufemi Dare, described the control centre as the first of its kind on any bridge in Nigeria. “This system allows us to monitor activities on the bridge and even the surrounding waters in real time,” he said.
Dare added that the project is powered by renewable energy, featuring hundreds of solar panels, inverters, and solar-powered street lights, alongside a standby generator and dedicated transformer to ensure uninterrupted operations.
He disclosed that the project, valued at over ₦40 billion, is being executed in phases, with the current commissioning marking the completion of the first stage. Additional components will be inaugurated after ongoing work on the bridge’s extension is concluded.