President Buhari's Promise Delivered: Second Niger Bridge Nears Completion

President Muhammadu Buhari's #NextLevel manifesto included a promise to complete the second Niger bridge, which aims to connect the economic hubs of Asaba in Delta state and Onitsha in Anambra state. This project, initiated during the Goodluck Jonathan administration, is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) comprising a 10.6km highway and a 1.6km bridge, serving as the project's centerpiece. The bridge will feature a dual carriageway with a total width of 22.5 meters, incorporating three interchanges and toll gates.

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Apart from linking the South-South to the South-East geo-political zone, the second Niger bridge will alleviate traffic congestion on the first Niger Bridge, which has been overburdened for over 50 years. Moreover, it is expected to foster economic growth and development in the region. With a projected cost exceeding $1.9 billion, the construction of this infrastructure endeavor is being carried out by Julius Berger in collaboration with other local firms, making it one of the largest projects in Nigeria.

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On December 15, 2022, the Federal Government opened the second Niger bridge to motorists, a significant milestone indicating substantial progress in its completion, aimed at addressing the traffic challenges during the festive season. 

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On April 4^th 2023 while inspecting the completion of the Loko-Oweto Bridge and link roads between Benue and Nasarawa states, Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing said  “Yesterday (Monday), we had a periodic meeting in the office of the chief of staff to the president where the contractors, and our team, A lot of snag resolutions are going to start; lane marking on the bridge will soon start and erection of signage will also soon start. Just about two weeks before the end of the term, the President will be invited to the completion, and maybe any day thereafter, he will be able to fly in and do the ceremony. But by the 15th of May, the bridge should be fully open to traffic.”‍

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The Minister confirmed the imminent opening of the bridge and alluded to the fact that since it was opened to road users for a month in December 2022 everything was in place for Buhari to commission it before he leaves office. We therefore rate this promise as “KEPT”.

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