NewStats: 3,265,460 , 8,186,791 topics. Date: Sunday, 15 June 2025 at 04:30 AM 331f3v

The federal government on Wednesday, December 21, announced that those using the recently opened Second Niger Bridge will pay toll, IGBERETV reports.

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) said the road will remain open till January 1 for inward travelers, and for those on outward journey from January 2 to 15.

Speaking an interview on Channels Television, Fashola said the bridge will be shut after January 15.

In his words;

“Infrastructure is one of the instruments for economic growth and tackling multidimensional poverty.

“The purpose of the second Niger Bridge is to bring relief to Nigerians who traverse from east to west or west to east.

“Especially during the end of the year, we know that it is a logistics nightmare moving goods and services and people.

“The bridge itself is finished. The road linking it to the Obusi end on the Anambra side is finished, except for the interchange which is at different levels of completion. The road linking it to the Asaba side is the one that we could not finish.

“We know that it is a festive period; the ports are busy, sea and airports. The roads will also be busy. As part of the ember month plan, we decided to open it up and provide a choice for people (to either use the old bridge or the new one). We expect that it will relieve the inconvenience at this time of the year.

“We did the same thing on Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

“There is still work to be done there, but we think that it can get better if we remove the construction barriers so that it is a proper thorough fair.

“We did the same thing in Abuja-Kano. On Abuja-Kano, which is 365 km, we have only five obstructions, and they are for safety.

“The current opening (on the second Niger bridge) for motorists is for those going to the East and will end on the 1st of January. It is currently a one-way crossing.

“On January 2nd, we will reverse what we have done and allow people to use it from January 3rd, that is, for those going back from the East to West.

“On the 15th of January, we will shut it down again so that we can finish the 4 km access road that we are trying to build and also complete the interchanges.

“Inevitably, the bridge will be tolled. That is the job of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

“Part of what we are looking at is that we have a bridge that is properly maintained.”

https://igberetvnews.com/1434456/second-niger-bridge-s-will-pay-toll-fg/

This effectively makes it the only federal infrastructure built by this istration that its s will pay before using. Una well done.

I don't blame you people though - I blame Goodluck Jonathan for coming up with the idea - even the almighty 3rd Mainland Bridge in Lagos is not tolled.

Interesting APC logic. I think 3rd mainland bridge would also be tolled someday

A nation where we destroyed all tolling booths with an amount far higher than what was used in building it.

Governments constantly run a budget deficit, at every level. So for those who might say 'how about tax' no, taxes aren't always enough.

Toll bridges are a little different. Big bridges are incredibly expensive to construct, so the builders need a way to recuperate that enormous loss of cash. Whether the bridge was built by a government, the private sector, or a partnership of the two, projects like that are only viable if they can partially pay for themselves through tolls. For example, the Ambassador Bridge (the busiest crossing on the USA_ Canada states border) is 100% privately owned, and earns the owner about $60,000,000 per year in revenue.
In theory, the tolls pay for repairs, maintenance, and upgrades for the road. In practice, however, abuses occurs. Occasionally the toll money goes to projects besides the road itself. But generally the toll roads are better maintained and thus less wear and tear on.

Truth is, government has to recover part of the cost of making new highways. It must not be forever. After 10 years it should be discontinued.
It depends on how construction and maintenance was financed. Every so often, the taxpayers agree to build a bridge. Other times they may object to the cost and only agree to partial funding. In that case, people using the bridge are charged a toll until the costs are paid off. In some cases, it’s never paid off.

That's not fair at all, the only infrastructure they are making noise about that they built in the SE is actually an investment for the government, only time will tell.

For proper maintenance it has to be tolled. Buhari is the best thing to have happened to alaigbo

Buhari is really working, oya his urchins should clap for him

Tg

Hahaha, so after hyping the bridge as the greatest favour done to Igbos since 1960, the people will still be asked to pay for it

Chai, there is God o, using Igbos to play football in Nigeria while some house servants applaud their masters. Are these fools even aware that same federal government built another bridge across the Benue without asking its intended s to pay a dime? Nobody was even asked to worship those that built that even longer bridge across river Benue but Igbos has been harrased and called all sorts of names because of a bridge they must pay to use

Any politician that comes to campaign for APC and mention the second niger bridge as achievement done for Igbos should be stoned!

frank14011991:
For proper maintenance it has to be tolled. Buhari is the best thing to have happened to alaigbo

Why not toll Lagos/Ibadan expressway for proper maintenance? Why not toll Abuja/Kaduna highway for proper maintenance?

So, it's only when federal government builds any infrastructure in the SE that they would tolling for proper maintenance? SMH.

Good. According to Fashola, Lagos-Ibadan expressway will also be tolled when completed. It’s seems that is their new policy now.

Anyone that do not wish to pay toll at the second Niger bridge should jump into the River Niger and swim across or better still make use of the previous bridge.

I hope the 365km road from Abuja to Kano would also be tolled. Imagine a 365km road constructed and APC has been salivating on a bridge less than 10km

APCshit showing their bias against Ndigbo...

If APCshit wants to be fair & be seen to be fair.. why not toll every infrastructure built during your malistration for proper maintainance.. ... why only this brigde

Make una continue...una well done o

If the second Niger bridge would be tolled then all new constructed roads and bridges must be tolled too...
Equity shouldn't be too difficult to attain.

And this is what the sons of Lucifer's from the tribe of Afonjas have been saying is a gift. They have been enslaved by people who barely have an education roaming with cows on the road. And they want the Igbos to become slaves like them by worshipping Fulani. That's why when their land was taken . Illorin is ruled by fulanis. No complain. The Fulani have been head of Muslim and relegated their slaves the Afonjas to the background. Imagine the sophisticated mor...ons cannot even sight the moon

LegendHero:
Good. According to Fashola, Lagos-Ibadan expressway will also be tolled when completed. It’s seems that is their new policy now.

Anyone that do not wish to pay toll at the second Niger bridge should jump into the River Niger and swim across or better still make use of the previous bridge.

Peter Obi is the next president and no dime is gonna be paid

We all knew they were going to want to toll that bridge. APC and wickedness.

Vote APC is 2023 and watch Ndigbo go down the drain

Dem never see this comingggg

This is where Simon Ekpa said his boys should focus on if they care about South East and not chasing market women and declaring stupid sit at home

Anything to move our darling nation forward is all we want at [b][/b]

God bless Nigeria

is there any toll gate at the rail that ran through Niger Republic that cost Nigerian government $1.959bn b

Lol

PureMe01:

Peter Obi is the next president and no dime is gonna be paid

N

Yet the silly government was over hyping the 2nd Niger Bridge as if it was toll free for the South East.

So after all the hype?

Nukilia:
Interesting APC logic. I think 3rd mainland bridge would also be tolled someday

A nation where we destroyed all tolling booths with an amount far higher than what was used in building it.

Nigerian leaders are useless. You can imagine how much they'd have made, had the fed roads been tolled. I still don't understand why they removed toll gates. The American system of government which they adopted is turned upside down cos america till today tolls their roads. Shebi they'd have been using the revenues generated to maintain our fed roads,instesd of always borrowing to do so

I tire. Are tolls paid in likewise infrastructures constructed in other part of the country?

Naija my country

Newsmic:


https://igberetvnews.com/1434456/second-niger-bridge-s-will-pay-toll-fg/

Like Lekki toll gate before #Endsars.

Wagwanbrethren:
Governments constantly run a budget deficit, at every level. So for those who might say 'how about tax' no, taxes aren't always enough.

Toll bridges are a little different. Big bridges are incredibly expensive to construct, so the builders need a way to recuperate that enormous loss of cash. Whether the bridge was built by a government, the private sector, or a partnership of the two, projects like that are only viable if they can partially pay for themselves through tolls. For example, the Ambassador Bridge (the busiest crossing on the USA_ Canada states border) is 100% privately owned, and earns the owner about $60,000,000 per year in revenue.
In theory, the tolls pay for repairs, maintenance, and upgrades for the road. In practice, however, abuses occurs. Occasionally the toll money goes to projects besides the road itself. But generally the toll roads are better maintained and thus less wear and tear on.

Truth is, government has to recover part of the cost of making new highways. It must not be forever. After 10 years it should be discontinued.
It depends on how construction and maintenance was financed. Every so often, the taxpayers agree to build a bridge. Other times they may object to the cost and only agree to partial funding. In that case, people using the bridge are charged a toll until the costs are paid off. In some cases, it’s never paid off.

Nigerian government should have tapped into this kind of stuff but for corruption....many organizations can build roads and bridges if allowed.... Government would just checkmate standard

It's a good development.
God bless Nigeria
God bless President M. Buhari
God bless Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
God bless Senator Kassim Shettima.