Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has finally put a firm date on the long-awaited opening of the Opebi Link Bridge, announcing that the 5.04-kilometre infrastructure project will be thrown open to motorists before the end of September 2026. The declaration comes more than four months after the bridge was officially commissioned with fanfare by President Bola Tinubu in April, yet remained inexplicably closed to the public, leaving commuters, traders, and residents questioning when they would finally benefit from the multi-billion-naira project.
The governor made the announcement on Thursday while delivering the keynote address at the 7th Annual Lecture organised by Freedom Online Newspapers. According to Sanwo-Olu, construction work on the bridge has reached its final stage, with workers currently undertaking finishing touches ahead of its opening. "I want to assure you that the Opebi Link Bridge will be opened by the end of September," the governor declared, offering a definitive timeline that will bring relief to thousands of motorists who have endured months of uncertainty and traffic gridlock across the Ojota, Maryland, Mende, and Opebi corridors.
Beyond easing movement, the Lagos Government is also looking to give the project a distinctive identity. Sanwo-Olu revealed that the state government is working to install an architectural feature, which he referred to as an "ark", on the bridge. "We are trying to install the ark on the bridge. We want to make it a tourist attraction," he said. The feature is intended to enhance the appearance of the infrastructure and potentially turn the bridge into a landmark destination, adding an aesthetic and commercial dimension to what was conceived purely as a transport corridor.
The Opebi Link Bridge, which stretches about 5.04 kilometres, combines elevated bridge sections with connecting roads to create a more direct route for commuters. It was designed to ease movement across one of Lagos' busiest corridors, providing a direct link between Opebi and Ojota, while reducing pressure on existing roads such as Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way and Maryland. The project was envisioned by the then Governor Tinubu administration in 2002 but was finally delivered by Sanwo-Olu. Construction officially began on January 26, 2022, when Sanwo-Olu flagged off the work, describing it as one of the state's legacy infrastructure projects.
The bridge was inaugurated on April 8, 2026, as one of the landmark projects unveiled during President Bola Tinubu's visit to Lagos. The President, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, drove through the newly completed link bridge to symbolically declare it open. However, more than four months after its commissioning, the bridge remained closed to motorists, leaving residents and traders questioning when it would finally become operational. A visit to the project site in August revealed that access to the bridge remained restricted, with workers still carrying out construction on associated infrastructure. Engineers confirmed that work was still in progress beneath the bridge and that the remaining work could take up to three months to complete.
The delay has not only frustrated commuters but also dealt a heavy blow to traders whose businesses were displaced by the construction. Before work began on the project, the corridor hosted a thriving cluster of basket sellers and other small businesses that attracted customers from across Lagos. One trader recalled how the construction altered the area's commercial landscape, noting that sales dropped significantly after the relocation. "Most of our customers can't make it here anymore, and sales went down. We are just trying to recover," the trader said.
The lingering closure has also reignited conversations about the growing practice of inaugurating public projects before they are fully ready for use. While governments often commission projects to showcase development milestones, the real measure of success comes when infrastructure becomes accessible and begins to improve daily life. For Lagos residents who have watched the project take shape, the September deadline now puts a firm date on when the infrastructure could finally become part of the city's transport network.
The completion of the Opebi Link Bridge is expected to improve connectivity between Opebi and surrounding communities while providing motorists with an additional route through the busy corridor. The project is also expected to ease pressure on existing roads and improve travel time for residents who depend on the route for daily movement. With the governor's latest assurance, the long wait may finally be coming to an end.
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