The Federal Ministry of Works has announced the temporary closure of the First Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra State, for emergency repairs.
The bridge will be closed to traffic for two weeks, beginning Monday, September 7, 2026, with the repairs scheduled for completion on September 21.
The ministry’s Acting Controller in Anambra State, Timothy Emenike, announced the closure in a statement on Friday.
According to the statement, the decision followed an inspection of the First and Second Niger bridges by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, during which defects were identified on the First Niger Bridge.
The defects include deterioration of the carriageway surface and vandalisation of bridge components, particularly parts of the expansion joint steelworks and the stanchion and steel truss nuts and bolts.
Umahi subsequently directed that emergency maintenance and rehabilitation work be carried out to restore the bridge to a safe and motorable condition.
The ministry said SKECC, the contractor handling the 20-kilometre section of the Onitsha-Enugu Dual Carriageway, had been instructed to begin the emergency repairs.
It advised motorists and other road users to use the Second Niger Bridge route through Obosi towards Asaba, Delta State, and other destinations beyond during the closure.
The ministry said traffic diversion arrangements, road signs, safety barriers and traffic-control personnel would be deployed to guide motorists and protect both road users and construction workers.
Motorists were also urged to comply with temporary traffic signs and diversion instructions, reduce their speed and avoid reckless overtaking around construction and diversion areas.
The repair work will involve milling and removing the deteriorated asphalt surface before laying approximately 40mm of asphalt wearing course, alongside other maintenance and safety works.
The ministry also announced plans to install solar-powered streetlights and closed-circuit television cameras on the bridge to improve security and monitor activities by vandals.
Traffic-control and diversion measures will remain in place throughout the intervention.
The ministry apologised to motorists for the inconvenience caused by the closure, assuring that the repairs would be carried out day and night to ensure completion within the scheduled period.
