BREAKING: Sanwo-Olu vows to deliver Opebi link bridge before Christmas
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured residents that the Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge will be completed and opened to motorists before Christmas, amid delays that have kept the major infrastructure project inaccessible months after its inauguration.
The governor gave the assurance while addressing journalists at the ongoing project site, where construction and finishing works are still being carried out. He said the state government was committed to delivering the project within the promised timeframe, raising hopes among commuters who have been waiting to benefit from the new road connection.
The bridge, which connects Opebi, Mende, Maryland and Ojota, is designed to provide an alternative route for motorists travelling between Ikeja and other parts of Lagos. It is also expected to reduce pressure on major roads, including Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Kudirat Abiola Road and the Maryland corridor, which experience heavy traffic during peak periods.
The 5.04-kilometre project was conceived to improve connectivity, shorten travel times and ease movement across some of the state’s busiest transport corridors. According to the state government, the bridge is expected to improve traffic management and reduce the time commuters spend on the road, with potential benefits for businesses and other road users.
However, the project has missed several completion and opening deadlines. In December 2023, Sanwo-Olu said the bridge was about 65 per cent complete and projected that it would be ready by the second or third quarter of 2024. In June 2024, the state government subsequently indicated that the project would be completed before the end of that year.
Although the bridge was inaugurated in April 2026 during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Lagos, it remained closed to motorists months later. Reports attributed the delay to outstanding construction work, including improvements to connecting roads and other infrastructure needed to make the facility fully operational.
Sanwo-Olu once again explained that the government wanted contractors to complete additional architectural features before opening the bridge to the public. He said the outstanding work included installing a distinctive structure over the bridge, which he described as an attraction intended to give the facility a unique appearance.
The latest Christmas deadline will therefore be an important test of the administration’s commitment to delivering the project for public use.
