Decades after its completion, former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, has revealed the personal motivation behind his administration’s decision to finish the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Babangida said an American television programme had portrayed Nigeria as a country that embarked on major projects without completing them, using the unfinished bridge as an example.
He recalled that the report, which featured Nigerian broadcaster Onyeka Onwenu, left him concerned about the image being projected about Nigeria internationally and motivated his administration to prioritise the bridge’s completion.
Babangida said his administration assembled a team involving stakeholders, including Julius Berger and the Lagos State Government, to develop a plan for completing the project, while the government provided the necessary funding and support.
He also recalled setting a personal deadline for the bridge’s completion, asking the contractors to deliver it as a birthday present, a target he said was achieved. The former Head of State admitted he did not anticipate the extent to which the bridge would transform transportation in Lagos, although engineers had highlighted its potential impact.
The Third Mainland Bridge later became a major transport route linking Lagos Island with the mainland and remains one of the city’s most significant infrastructure landmarks.
For Babangida, the project represented more than a transport solution, describing its completion as a demonstration of Nigeria’s capacity to execute major projects and uphold national pride.
