𝑭𝑮 𝑺𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒔 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓 14 𝑫𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒔

If you travel regularly between Anambra and Delta states, get ready for a change in your route from next week.

The Federal Government has announced that the First Niger Bridge in Onitsha will be closed to all vehicles for two weeks to allow urgent repair work.

In a statement released on Friday and signed by the Acting Federal Controller of Works in Anambra, Timothy Emenike, the Federal Ministry of Works said the closure will start on Monday, September 7, 2026 and end on Monday, September 21, 2026.

According to the ministry, engineers who inspected the bridge found that the road surface has worn out and some parts have been damaged by vandals. To prevent accidents and further breakdown, the government said it had to act fast.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, gave the directive after visiting the bridge recently. He ordered that repairs should begin immediately.

During the 14 days, all vehicles moving between Anambra and Delta will be diverted to the Second Niger Bridge. Motorists are advised to go through Obosi and continue to Asaba and other destinations.

The company handling the 20km Onitsha-Enugu road, Messrs SKECC, has been asked to move to site. Their job will include removing the old, bad asphalt and laying a new 40mm surface. They will also carry out general maintenance, install solar-powered streetlights and CCTV cameras, and set up traffic signs and control points to guide drivers.

The ministry said the aim is to make the bridge safer, give road users a smoother drive, and reduce traffic around the Onitsha area. To finish within two weeks, work will continue day and night.

The government is appealing to drivers to plan ahead and leave home early. It also urged motorists to obey traffic signs, reduce speed around the construction area, and follow instructions from traffic officers and security agents.

Residents, traders and business owners around Onitsha have also been asked to cooperate with the temporary arrangement.

For now, the Second Niger Bridge through Obosi to Asaba is the recommended alternative route.

The First Niger Bridge has connected the South-East and South-South for decades and remains one of the busiest roads in the country. The emergency repairs are expected to make it stronger and safer for the thousands of people who use it every day.

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