The Federal Government has activated a high-tech security command center for Lagos’s Third Mainland Bridge, built at a cost of over N40 billion. The facility, inaugurated by Works Minister Dave Umahi, is designed to monitor all activity on and under the crucial lagoon crossing.

Minister Umahi stated the current administration met the bridge in “very terrible” condition and authorized a full rehabilitation. The new CCTV center, constructed by the Chinese firm CCECC, features monitoring screens, solar power, and equipment to observe the bridge’s surface and underwater structures.

As part of the project, the government is providing a surveillance boat and two Hilux vans to the police for bridge patrols. Umahi expressed concern over speeding on the bridge and urged drivers to obey traffic laws.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olufemi Dare, called the center the first of its kind in Nigeria. He detailed the assets, including 240 solar panels, 1,268 solar street lights, and a backup power system, calling it a comprehensive security and monitoring solution.

The total contract sum was N40.17 billion, with N36 billion already paid to CCECC. This inauguration is considered a first phase, with a fuller commissioning planned once remaining work on the bridge is complete.

The project represents a major government investment in the infrastructure and security of one of Africa’s busiest bridges, aiming to improve safety and maintenance for millions of Lagos commuters.