Sanwo-Olu says Opebi-Mende-Ojota bridge will open before Christmas

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge should be open to traffic before Christmas, after it missed its earlier September target.

He spoke on Sunday during an unscheduled inspection of the project, where he said work was about 80 per cent complete.

The bridge is meant to give motorists an alternative route and ease pressure on adjoining roads linking Opebi, Mende and Ojota.

Why the bridge is late

According to the governor, the delay is down to a 25-metre steel monument that was not part of the original bridge design and was introduced towards the end of construction.

The monument is designed to reflect the area's history as a cane market, with four steel structures representing the hands involved in cane weaving. The installation involves about 300 tonnes of steel, he said.

Three of the four steel components have been assembled and installed, with work on the last one still to begin. Sanwo-Olu said the remaining work would take a few more days.

He said he visited the site to find out personally what caused the delay, and appealed to residents for patience.

"We must ensure that the steels are safely fitted before the infrastructure is open to traffic," he said.

The governor said the government would not trade engineering quality and public safety for speed. He also promised extra work before opening, including site cleaning, repainting of kerbs, restoring affected areas and landscaping.

He commended officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the construction workers, and urged them to speed up the outstanding work.

What happens next

If the final steel component is installed on schedule, the bridge should be in use during the Christmas season, when traffic across Lagos typically rises sharply.

Sanwo-Olu said the area could become a destination for recreation, tourism and cultural heritage, and described the bridge as a landmark that combines innovation with cultural preservation.