The Federal Government has inaugurated a ₦40 billion closed-circuit television (CCTV) control centre on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, marking a major step toward enhancing security, monitoring traffic activities, curbing excessive speeding, and preventing suicide attempts on the iconic bridge.
The project forms part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to deploy modern surveillance infrastructure on critical national assets and ensure real-time monitoring of activities on major transport corridors.
Speaking at the inauguration of the control centre, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the current administration inherited severe structural and safety challenges on key bridges in Lagos, including the Third Mainland Bridge, Carter Bridge, and Iddo Bridge.
According to the minister, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered a comprehensive reassessment and rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge shortly after assuming office in 2023, leading to the replacement of damaged surfaces and expansion joints.
Umahi stated that the rehabilitation works have been completed and are performing effectively due to the quality of execution. He also commended the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, for delivering the project to standard.
The minister explained that the contract covered not only structural rehabilitation but also the installation of advanced security equipment to enable continuous monitoring of the bridge and its surroundings. He disclosed that surveillance assets, including a patrol boat and two Hilux vans, would be handed over to the Nigeria Police to support security operations on and around the bridge.
Umahi expressed concern over frequent cases of excessive speeding on the bridge and urged motorists to comply with traffic regulations to ensure safety.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olufemi Dare, described the CCTV control centre as the first of its kind in Nigeria, noting that it provides comprehensive surveillance coverage of both the bridge structure and the surrounding waterways.
He listed facilities installed at the control centre to include a surveillance boat, two Hilux vans, 240 solar panels, 10 inverters, a 300KVA transformer, a standby generator, multiple monitoring screens, and over 1,200 solar-powered street lights. The project also includes a borehole facility to support operations.
Dare disclosed that the project was awarded at a cost of ₦40.17 billion, with the Federal Government having paid about ₦36 billion to the contractor so far.
The Minister of Works added that the commissioning marked the first phase of the project, noting that further work would be completed before a full commissioning is carried out in the coming months.
