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Fourth Mainland Bridge Stalls in 2026 Despite N220.73m Budget Spend

Published

2 months ago

August 9, 2026

Fourth Mainland Bridge Stalls in 2026 Despite N220.73m Budget Spend

The Lagos State Government has spent N220.73 million on the long-delayed Fourth Mainland Bridge project in 2026, even though construction of the 38-kilometre infrastructure has yet to commence. The expenditure represents 22.1 per cent of the N1 billion budgeted for the project this year, according to the Lagos State Budget Implementation Report for the second quarter of 2026. The report, under the Office of Infrastructure, shows that while the project recorded zero performance in the second quarter, its year-to-date expenditure stood at N220,730,307.65, leaving a balance of N779.27 million against the original budget. This spending comes despite the project remaining on paper nearly two decades after it was first proposed in 2006.

The Fourth Mainland Bridge has been a recurring promise across multiple administrations in Lagos State. The ambitious infrastructure is designed to connect Abraham Adesanya in Ajah with the northwest axis of Lagos, linking to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway through Owutu/Isawo in Ikorodu. It is expected to feature three toll plazas, nine interchanges, and a 4.5-kilometre crossing of the Lagos Lagoon. Originally slated for construction in 2017 with a projected completion date of 2019, the bridge has failed to materialise despite repeated assurances from successive governors. The project has been a talking point for every Lagos governor from President Bola Tinubu’s tenure to Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode, and now Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

In December 2022, the Lagos State Government announced the Chinese CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium as the preferred bidder for the project. The bidding process began in November 2019, with 52 responses received, of which 32 were deemed responsive. Six bidders met the criteria to progress to the Request for Proposal stage, with the CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium emerging as the preferred bidder. Governor Sanwo-Olu made repeated commitments that construction would commence in early 2023, and later shifted the date to March-April 2024. However, over 15 months after the last announced work commencement date, no flag-off ceremony has taken place, and the preferred bidder has yet to move to site. The project was also scheduled to be completed by 2027, before the end of Sanwo-Olu’s tenure, but that timeline appears increasingly unrealistic.

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The project’s estimated cost has escalated significantly over the years. Originally budgeted at $2.2 billion**, the cost has now been revised to approximately **$2.5 billion. In November 2023, the Lagos State Government secured a **$1.35 billion loan commitment** from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Access Bank for the Fourth Mainland Bridge and related infrastructure. However, financing challenges have continued to hamper the project. Governor Sanwo-Olu has attributed the delay to the requirement for a **sovereign guarantee from the Federal Government**. In an interview, he explained: “Everybody that has raised funding to help us develop that project—that’s a $2 billion project—they’re asking for a sovereign guarantee. They are asking for you to get a commitment from the central government. We are not the central government, so we have not been able to push that because that would mean going to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the National Assembly.” The governor emphasized that Lagos is being cautious about its debt profile, especially with current currency fluctuations. “Part of the things we’re looking at is how far down can we get a sustainable funding model that can still help Lagos to be able to plan. With the currency movement, we need to be careful with our debt profile,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The project, first proposed in 2006, has undergone several attempts at financing and execution across multiple administrations. In May 2016, former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a consortium comprising the Africa Finance Corporation, Access Bank, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Westminster Dredging and Marine, J.P. Morgan, Hi-Tech Construction Limited, Eldorado Nigeria Limited, and Visible Asset Limited for an N844 billion PPP arrangement. However, the arrangement was cancelled in May 2017 after the Lagos State Government cited delays by the consortium in commencing the project. The Sanwo-Olu administration later revived the project under a new PPP arrangement, selecting the CCECC-CRCCIG Consortium as preferred bidder in December 2022.

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Despite the project remaining stalled, it continues to feature in political discourse. President Bola Tinubu, while congratulating Governor Sanwo-Olu on his 60th birthday, urged the governor to prioritise the long-awaited Fourth Mainland Bridge, saying: “I urge you to sustain this trajectory by prioritising impactful projects for Lagosians, notably the long-awaited Fourth Mainland Bridge and the Freedom Way to Victoria Garden City (VGC) Road.” Interestingly, during the 2026 new year thanksgiving service, Governor Sanwo-Olu listed a number of projects that would receive state government attention, including provisions for them in the 2026 budget, but he never mentioned the Fourth Mainland Bridge. Even during subsequent project commissioning ceremonies, the bridge was not a talking point, unlike in previous years, suggesting a shift in the administration’s public focus.

Efforts to get comment from the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, proved abortive as he did not respond to calls or text messages. Questions were sent asking for details on what the N220.73 million was spent on, considering that construction has not yet commenced. The budget allocation for the project in 2026 is part of the state’s N4.44 trillion “Budget of Sustainable Transformation,” which dedicates approximately N2.64 trillion (60 per cent) to capital expenditure, with a strong emphasis on infrastructure. The Lagos State House of Assembly increased the original budget proposal to fund “mega-projects” like the Fourth Mainland Bridge, with Speaker Mudashiru Obasa emphasizing the need to avoid project abandonment.

The Fourth Mainland Bridge remains one of Nigeria’s most ambitious infrastructure projects. Upon completion, it is expected to emerge as the second longest bridge in Africa. The bridge is intended to serve as an alternative route connecting Lagos Island, Baiyeku (Ikorodu), Langbasa (Lekki), and other areas of the mainland. It will be a four-lane, two-way carriageway with facilities for a BRT lane and future road expansion, expected to ease congestion on the Third Mainland Bridge and other major routes. The project’s future hinges on resolving the sovereign guarantee impasse with the Federal Government. About 800 houses are expected to be demolished when construction eventually commences, adding to the complexity of the project. The government is exploring creative approaches to dimension the project in a more consumable manner, including potential redesigns to reduce the number of lanes or bridge levels. With Governor Sanwo-Olu approaching the end of his tenure, questions remain whether the Fourth Mainland Bridge will finally transition from a dream to reality, or continue to exist only on paper as it has for nearly two decades.

Fourth Mainland Bridge Stalls in 2026 Despite N220.73m Budget Spend

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18 Suspected Bandits Killed as Security Forces Foil Mass Kidnap in Katsina

Published

5 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Trends Admin

18 Suspected Bandits Killed as Security Forces Foil Mass Kidnap in Katsina

Eighteen suspected bandits have been killed in an intelligence-led ambush that reportedly foiled a planned mass kidnapping in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The operation took place at about 1am on Monday, September 21, 2026, at Gidan Iyado, Kakumi Ward, after security personnel received intelligence that an armed group was planning to abduct residents for ransom.

According to the Katsina State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, the operation involved hunters, members of the Community Watch Corps and local vigilante groups, who laid an ambush and engaged the suspected bandits.

The ministry said 18 members of the group were killed, while no casualty was recorded among the security personnel involved in the operation.

Recovered items included one G3 rifle, two AK-47 rifles, 14 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and three motorcycles.

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Security personnel also recovered two cows and 94 sheep, which the authorities believe were among livestock allegedly rustled by the group.

The Katsina government identified the alleged leader of the group as Alhaji Musa Duki, whom it described as a former school headmaster who allegedly became a bandit leader operating from Mununu Forest in Faskari Local Government Area.

Authorities said the operation was part of continuing efforts to disrupt bandit networks, kidnapping operations and rural insecurity across Bakori, Faskari and neighbouring communities.

The government said a sustained covert operation was ongoing to locate Duki and other members of the network, identify their hideouts and prevent further attacks.

Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda commended the security personnel and community-based security groups involved in the operation, while urging residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.

The latest operation comes amid continuing security challenges in parts of Katsina State, where authorities have increasingly relied on intelligence gathering and collaboration between conventional security agencies and community-based security groups to disrupt criminal activity.

The recovered weapons and ammunition have been taken into custody as security agencies continue efforts to dismantle the alleged network and prevent further kidnapping and banditry in the affected areas.

18 Suspected Bandits Killed as Security Forces Foil Mass Kidnap in Katsina

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Police Arrest Two Arms Dealers, Recover 300 Rounds of Ammunition in Kaduna

Published

5 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Trends Admin

Police Arrest Two Arms Dealers, Recover 300 Rounds of Ammunition in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested two suspected arms traffickers and recovered 300 rounds of live ammunition in an intelligence-led operation in the state.

The suspects, identified as Rayyanu Adamu and Nasiru Abubakar, were arrested by operatives of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit following surveillance around the Giwa and railway station axis.

Police said the operation resulted in the recovery of 270 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and 30 rounds of Type 06 ammunition.

The suspects are being interrogated as investigators work to determine where the ammunition was sourced, its intended destination and whether other people are involved in the alleged trafficking operation.

The arrests come amid increased security operations across Kaduna State against kidnapping, banditry, arms trafficking and terrorist logistics.

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In a separate operation, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA arrested a suspected terrorist kingpin and two alleged members of his network in Kubau Local Government Area.

Troops also arrested a 50-year-old woman in Igabi Local Government Area who was allegedly transporting 300 rounds of ammunition. The military said preliminary investigations indicated that she had travelled from Zamfara to Lafia before allegedly receiving the ammunition for onward delivery to suspected terrorist elements in Birnin Gwari.

A suspected terrorist logistics supplier was also arrested in Birnin Gwari, with four communication devices recovered during the operation.

The separate operations point to continuing efforts by security agencies to disrupt the movement of arms and ammunition to criminal and terrorist groups operating in Kaduna and neighbouring areas.

The Kaduna Police Command has also recorded other ammunition seizures in recent operations, as security personnel intensify efforts to identify suspected arms suppliers, couriers and their associates.

The two suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue.

Police Arrest Two Arms Dealers, Recover 300 Rounds of Ammunition in Kaduna

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Niger Mosque Attack: Bago Says 63 Abducted, 14 Freed, Three Killed

Published

10 hours ago

September 23, 2026

Trends Admin

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago

Niger Mosque Attack: Bago Says 63 Abducted, 14 Freed, Three Killed

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has said 63 people were abducted during the August 21 attack on worshippers in the Dakera area of Borgu Local Government Area, with three victims killed and 14 others recovered.

Bago’s disclosure provides the first specific official breakdown of the victims following weeks of conflicting reports about the scale of the Niger State abduction.

The governor said 33 worshippers were abducted from a mosque, while the attackers seized another 30 people from a nearby market as they fled, bringing the total number to 63.

He made the disclosure when former Niger State governor and Senator representing Niger North, Abubakar Sani Bello, visited the Government House in Minna to sympathise with the state over recent deaths and security incidents.

Bago also rejected reports circulating on social media that about 500 people had been abducted, describing the figure as exaggerated.

“It was a social media hype. Thirty-three were kidnapped at the mosque, and on their way, they kidnapped an additional 30 in a market, making a total of 63,” the governor said.

He added that three of those abducted had been killed, while 14 had been recovered.

The governor’s account means that, of the 63 people he said were abducted, 17 have been accounted for through deaths or recovery, leaving 46 whose current status was not specified in his latest disclosure.

However, the official figure has not ended concerns over the scale of the wider Borgu mass abduction.

Residents of Dekara and neighbouring communities staged a protest in New Bussa on Monday, September 21, demanding the release of hundreds of people they said remained in captivity more than a month after the attacks.

According to Reuters, residents initially estimated that about 600 people had been abducted during coordinated attacks on several communities. The president of the Borgu Youths Development Association, Abdullahi Yahaya Sadauki, subsequently said community estimates had risen to nearly 700 people allegedly still in captivity.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the higher figure.

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The residents are calling for a formal headcount across the affected villages to establish the actual number of people missing, those who escaped and those who were taken into captivity.

The protest also reflected the wider impact of the security crisis in Borgu, with residents saying insecurity has restricted access to markets and healthcare. Shops were reportedly closed in the area as residents observed a shutdown to draw attention to the continued captivity of the victims.

The attack occurred on August 21 when armed men invaded communities in the Dekara district of Borgu, including Gidan-Zana and Kpenya.

Police had initially said armed men stormed Kpenya Mosque during Friday prayers after attacking Gidan-Zana and Kpenya communities. Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said at the time that authorities could not confirm the number of people abducted.

The initial police assessment indicated that no death had been confirmed at that stage, while a joint security team was deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations.

Residents subsequently told Reuters that more than 60 worshippers had been abducted during what appeared to be coordinated attacks on several communities in Borgu. Reuters noted at the time that it could not independently verify the residents’ account.

The latest developments therefore present two different sets of figures that should not be treated as interchangeable.

Governor Bago’s official account puts the number abducted from the mosque and a nearby market at 63, comprising 33 worshippers and 30 other people. He says three were killed and 14 recovered.

The much higher figure of about 600, later described by community representatives as close to 700 people still in captivity, relates to the broader series of attacks across Dekara and neighbouring communities, rather than necessarily the specific mosque-and-market incident identified by Bago. The higher community estimate remains unverified.

The discrepancy has increased pressure on authorities to establish a comprehensive record of those affected by the attacks.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had previously ordered an immediate rescue operation following the August 21 attacks. More than a month later, however, residents say they are still waiting for the safe return of their relatives.

Niger State Commissioner for Information, Obed Nuhu Nana, told Reuters that security agencies had been mobilised and that the government was making efforts to rescue the victims.

Borgu’s location along Nigeria’s western border with the Republic of Benin has also heightened security concerns, particularly because the area covers remote communities where armed groups can operate across difficult terrain.

The continuing uncertainty over the number of victims has left families seeking answers about relatives who have not returned home. Community leaders say a physical headcount remains necessary to determine the true scale of the Borgu kidnapping.

For now, the latest official position is that 63 people were abducted in the mosque and market incidents, three were killed and 14 were recovered. The separate community claim that hundreds more remain in captivity has not been independently verified and requires further official investigation.

The conflicting figures underscore the need for authorities to reconcile community records with security agencies’ information and provide a verified account of the people abducted during the August attacks.