The Federal Government (FG) on Sunday, January 11, 2026, inaugurated a ₦40 billion Closed‑Circuit Television (CCTV) control centre on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State, marking a major step in efforts to enhance security and surveillance on one of Nigeria’s busiest road corridors.
The centre was commissioned by the Ministry of Works as part of broader infrastructure and safety upgrades.
Speaking at the inauguration, Senator Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works, said the administration met a severely deteriorated Third Mainland Bridge and directed comprehensive rehabilitation that included the installation of advanced CCTV monitoring systems in line with presidential directives.
“When we came on board in 2023, we met a very terrible Third Mainland Bridge… The President… directed total re‑evaluation and rehabilitation of the surfaces of the Third Mainland Bridge… and changing the expansion joints,” Umahi said.
Umahi said the CCTV centre will strengthen real‑time monitoring of activities both on the bridge and underneath it, with the intention of enhancing safety, traffic management and emergency response.
He noted that part of the project includes the provision of a surveillance boat and two Hilux vans to be handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for operational oversight and indicated that other agencies may be incorporated as needed.
The centre’s technology was described by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Olufemi Dare, as the first of its kind on any Nigerian bridge. He highlighted the facility’s comprehensive setup, including monitoring screens, internal power generation, a 300KVA transformer, solar panels and supporting infrastructure, intended to ensure resilience and sustainability of operations.
The project — awarded at a contract sum of ₦40.17 billion and partially paid at ₦36 billion to the executing contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) — also includes solar streetlights (1,268 units) and a borehole facility as part of broader support systems.
Umahi said this inauguration represented the first phase of commissioning, with plans for a full commissioning later in conjunction with further bridge extensions.
Officials said the CCTV control centre is expected to support authorities in enforcing traffic regulations, deterring crime and coordinating emergency response, particularly given the bridge’s high daily traffic volumes as a key link between the mainland and Lagos Island.
Umahi cautioned motorists to adhere to traffic laws, especially speed limits, to maximise the safety benefits of the new system.
In addition to surveillance, the centre is seen as a platform for coordinated action among security agencies, with the Nigeria Police designated to lead monitoring and response efforts on the bridge.
Umahi also reiterated the FG’s decision not to introduce tolling on the rehabilitated bridge, noting that toll infrastructure could compromise structural conditions and create urban traffic bottlenecks.
The Ministry of Works said it will continue phased implementation and evaluation of the surveillance system while expanding comprehensive safety measures for the Third Mainland Bridge as part of ongoing infrastructure development and national security priorities.
