A bridge in Nigeria linking the commercial district of Lagos Island to the mainland section of the city has been described as “the lifeline of the economy of Nigeria.”
The Third Mainland Bridge – sometimes known as Ibrahim Babangida Boulevard – is a 7.3 mile bridge that has become crucial to the development of the African nation, allowing commuters to cross from the mainland to Lagos island, the city’s financial hub.
Previously, two smaller crossings, the Eko and Carter bridges had been the only way for commuters to cross but had struggled to cope with the sheer numbers of people making the trip.
Government measures to limit the bridges use, including numbering cars and allowing only odd or even numbers to use them, did little to address the problem.
Edward Wonder, a Youtuber who regularly cycles through Africa said: “The Third Mainland Bridge is one of the most iconic landmarks in Nigeria, the busiest and one of the longest bridges in Africa.
“This is the lifeline of the economy of Nigeria and millions of commuters pass through this bridge every blessed day.”
The bridge took 14 years to build and when it was completed in 1990, it was the longest bridge on the entire continent. It cost one billion naira, which is about £471,000.
According to the Institute of Civil Engineering (ICE) website, the bridge “relieved much of the heavy traffic and congestion that had been typical of Lagos in the 1980s. Traffic moved faster and road communications around the city improved.
“The bridge prompted a housing boom in Lagos with more people moving to the city. It now carries a very heavy volume of traffic daily – tailbacks can be several kilometres long.”
Ben Green who works for ICE witnessed the bridge being built as a young boy.
He said: “As a child I grew up in Lagos, the then capital of Nigeria. It was a thriving, booming city with rapid population growth and that growth generated a substantial increase in traffic.”
Seeing the bridge being built left Mr Green feeling “awestruck” and inspired his career in engineering which currently sees him working on the Lower Thames Crossing.
The bridge is credited with driving economic growth in the country as well as easing access to and from the city’s bustling port.
As population growth in the country continues to rise, Mr Green says there are plans in the offing for a fourth bridge, a project he hopes will inspire young girls and boys to take up engineering, as the building of the third bridge did for him.
