Latest news with #DavidUmahi
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Wetin dey do Third Mainland Bridge and how much govment say di repair go cost
Nigerians still dey wonder how govment wan spend 3.6 trillion naira to repair 3rd Mainland Bridge. Minister of Works for Nigeria, David Umahi, tok say Third Mainland Bridge go chop at least 3.6 trillion naira to repair am. Dis na sake of di problems wey di bridge don get from di structures wey dey underwater. David Umahi tok say sake of di urgency of di mata , im carry waka go di recent Federal Executive Council [FEC] wey President Bola Tinubu lead for Aso, Rock. Di FEC approve a total of N493 billion for two ogbonge projects. Di projects na to buoild new Carter Bridge for N359 billion and to upgrade di Kano-Katsina bridge to 152 kilometres for N134 billion. For Third Mainland Bridge for Lagos, South-West Nigeria, oga Uma tok say dem no go fit repair am sake of structural damage. Im add say di price to repair am cost well-well. Why Carter Bridge go chop N359 billion Di Minister of works tok say for 2019 dem bin do one study to show wetin dey happun under di water of Third Mainland bridge and di Carter bridge. Di pipo wey bin do di study discover say plenti problems dey. Dem bin install di pires [columns]in a technical term of skin friction becos dem no go fit discover rock. Skin friction na method we dem dey use secure di pires and under di aggregate of di pires na dia di pire cap dey, so dem discover say dis pires wey sand dey hold don wash away sake of illegal minning of sand and ocean current. Im explain say for 2019, dem do anoda study and dem discover say di pires don spoil well-well, some dey rust due to chlorine wey dey inside di water and dem dey lose sand well-well. Im tok say na President Bola Tinubu bin give directive make dem chook eyes for how dem go take repair di Third Mainland bridge. Umahi say dem don resurface am by 11.8 kilometres by 16 lanes. Im add say dem also chook eye for wetin dey happun under di deck above di water. "We bin give di contract to Julius Berger, Ido bridge, Carter bridge and Third Mainland bridge at a contract sum of 65 billion and dia job na to repair all di pires wey don rust, dem go also chook eye for di pire caps kon treat am sake of say dem dey exposed and e dey rust badly. Im add say wen dem bin dey do dis one wey add am for dia contract to chooking for di 2013 and 2019 underwater investigation wey be part of dia contract. According to di Minister, Julius Berger tell am say dem need to close Carter bridge sharp sharp sake of traffic and di bridge dey beyond repair dem gatz construct new one. "Dem give us a cost of about 38 something billion to repair am and e no dey realistic and di one wey dey realistic na to 359 billion for brand new bridge and dem discuss wit Dutch bank to fund am." 'Nobody submit proposal for Third Mainland Bridge but e go chop 3.8 trillion' - David Umahi For di Third Mainland bridge, Oga Umahi explain say nobody submit any proposal, but na di same underwater problems wey Carter bridge dey face na im Third Mainland bridge dy face too. "Wen we bin do a pro rata [na process wey dem go use di proportional cost of part of di work take compare to di whole work] for di part wey we go repair, e reach 3.8 trillion and if we go do new construction na 3.6 trillion." Im say dem go meet FEC to give dem approval to not less dan seven specialist contractors to do comprehensive investigation, design and bidding to reconstruct and to build new ones or to repair dem. Im say di third request na to advertise for Public, Private , Partnership [PPP] "We bin submit memo and di title for di memo na di approval for constructive engagement on di rehabilitation or construction of new Carter and Third Mainland Bridge for Lagos state." Im explain. Oda bridges wey need repairs for Nigeria Di former govnor of Ebonyi state say no be only Carter and Third Mainland bridges wey need urgent work. Im confam say oda bridges dey wey no good across di kontri and dem need sharp-sharp attention too. "I bin draw di attention of di Federal Executive Council [FEC] to di fact say we go intervene on some construction of new bridges and emergencies for a number of bridges across di nation..." Some of di bridges wey need woek include: Jaimata bridge for Adamawa state wey we don already complete. Murtala Mohammed bridge for Kogi state wey still dey go on. Jebba bridge for Niger state. Gashuwa bridge for Yobe state. Koltaka Marine bridge. Independence bridge. Akata bridge for Lagos. Ibi bridge for Taraba state, Artizan bridge for Enugu state. Apoah bride for Ebonyi state. Opobo bridge for Rivers state. Baro bridge for Niger state. Bukuru bridge for Benue state. And bridges wey don collapse along di East-West road wey include two for Delta and one for Bayelsa state.
AFP
06-08-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Images showing a bridge collapsing in Nigeria are AI-generated
'Lafia, Nasarawa State, has witnessed the collapse of a flyover a mere three weeks post-commissioning. According to reports, around N10 billion was spent on this project,' reads a post published on Facebook on July 24, 2025. The post, shared about 650 times since it was published, includes several images that show the pillars of a bridge collapsing to the ground as cars drive under it. Image Screenshot of the false Facebook post, taken on July 29, 2025 President Bola Tinubu inaugurated a flyover and underpass bridge in Keffi on June 25, 2025, during a state visit to Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa state in Nigeria's north central (archived here). Three weeks later, on July 19, David Umahi, the minister of works, announced a partial closure of the bridge after an accident involving a heavy-duty truck caused a beam to collapse (archived here). He also directed that the bridge be repaired within 30 days. Local media reported that two people died in the accident (archived here). However, the images shared on social media are not from the Keffi bridge. AI video Photos from the commissioning ceremony show that the bridge in Keffi is situated in the city centre, with houses on both sides. This is different from the view seen in the images, where trees line both sides of the bridge, and it is a less urban environment (archived here). Image Screenshot showing the view from the Keffi bridge (left), in contrast to the view of the AI-generated Facebook video AFP Fact Check found that a video showing the same scene as in the images is also circulating in India, with claims that it depicts a bridge collapse in Bihar. In Ethiopia, meanwhile, the video is being shared with claims that it shows a bridge collapsing due to an earthquake. The images recently shared in Nigeria are stills taken from this video. Several clues in the video indicate that the video is AI-generated. First, the video shows a group of people running towards the collapsing structure rather than running in the opposite direction, as people would be expected to do in the event of a disaster. Cars are also driving in the direction of the collapsing beam, rather than stopping. To find the origin of the video, AFP Fact Check conducted a reverse image search using the Google Lens tool. This led to a video published on Facebook on July 15, 2025, two days before the Keffi accident happened (archived here). The caption of the original video indicated that it was created using artificial intelligence. Image Screenshot matching features seen in the false Facebook post (left) to the AI-generated video The account that published the video belongs to a gaming content creator who shares various videos — some labelled as being AI-generated — with over 42,000 followers. The actual damage to the Keffi bridge was much less extensive than the scene in the AI-generated video, since the pillars did not collapse, as can be seen in this video report. More AFP Fact Check debunks about AI-generated content can be found here.
Arabian Post
10-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Nigeria's Coastal Highway Passes $747 m Funding Milestone
Nigeria has secured a $747 million syndicated loan, led by Deutsche Bank, to fund the initial 47.47‑kilometre phase of its flagship coastal highway spanning from Victoria Island to Eleko Village in Lagos. The Ministry of Finance confirmed the financing on Wednesday, marking a record for road infrastructure funding in the country. Lenders in the syndicate include First Abu Dhabi Bank, African Export‑Import Bank, Abu Dhabi Exports Office, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, Nexent Bank and a consortium of Zenith Bank branches. Coverage for partial political and commercial risk is provided by the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit. The highway is built under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing contract awarded to Hitech Construction Company. Officials report that over 70 per cent of Phase 1 Section 1 is complete, utilising Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement designed to deliver at least 50 years of durability with minimal upkeep. ADVERTISEMENT Nigeria's Finance Minister, Wale Edun, described the syndication as emblematic of sustained confidence from international investors in Nigeria's reform agenda and infrastructure vision. He highlighted that the structure exemplifies the country's embrace of public–private partnerships, stating that it 'positions the country as ready for a full transition to the design, development, financing as well as operations and management of critical public infrastructure'. Minister of Works, David Umahi, added that the financing sets a 'strong precedent' for future infrastructure partnerships, signalling global affirmation of Nigeria's economic advancement and governance standards. Hitech Construction's Managing Director, Dany Abboud, emphasised the standards-setting nature of the project. He said Nigerian engineering, backed by structured international finance, 'can meet global standards,' with CRCP providing cost-efficiency and resilience. ICIEC's CEO, Khalid Khalafalla, noted that the sovereign risk coverage facilitates vital infrastructure development, easing congestion, expanding trade and boosting inclusive growth across West Africa. The broader Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is projected to stretch approximately 700 km from Lagos to Calabar, with estimated total costs around $11 billion and an eight‑year delivery timeline. The government is also finalising a toll‑based concession framework to ensure the project's operational sustainability and attract private capital. Implementation of CRCP technology and investor‑backed financing reflects a shift towards durable, future‑proof infrastructure capable of servicing Nigeria's growing population and trade needs while fostering regional economic integration and logistics efficiency.
TimesLIVE
06-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Nigeria approves $652m China Exim Bank road finance package
Nigeria has approved a $652m (R11.88bn) China Exim Bank funding package for construction of a road to move goods from a sea port and petroleum refinery on the edge of its main city Lagos to its southern states, says public works minister David Umahi. The financing was approved by the federal executive council chaired by President Bola Tinubu on Monday, Umahi said in a statement. The road will be an evacuation corridor from the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Dangote petroleum refinery — Africa's biggest with refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day — and its adjoining fertiliser plant to at least a dozen southern states. China has been providing billions of dollars in funding for power, rail and road projects in Nigeria, the continent's most populous nation and Africa's biggest oil producer. Nigeria's debt to China — its largest bilateral creditor — stands at over $5bn (R91.09bn), the most recent data from the country's Debt Management Office showed.
Reuters
06-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Nigeria approves $652 million China Exim Bank road finance package
LAGOS, May 6 (Reuters) - Nigeria has approved a $652-million China Exim Bank funding package for construction of a road to move goods from a sea port and petroleum refinery on the edge of its main city Lagos to its southern states, the public works minister said. The financing was approved by the federal executive council chaired by President Bola Tinubu on Monday, David Umahi said in a statement. here. The road will be an evacuation corridor from the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery - Africa's biggest with refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day - and its adjoining fertiliser plant to at least a dozen southern states. China has been providing billions of dollars in funding for power, rail and road projects in Nigeria, the continent's most populous nation and Africa's biggest oil producer. Nigeria's debt to China - its largest bilateral creditor - stands at over $5 billion, the most recent data from the country's Debt Management Office showed.
