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OSHODI INTERCHANGE: CONTRACTORS COMPLETE SKYWALK BRIDGE OF TWO TERMINALS
…As LASG Thanks Motorists, Residents For Understanding
The contractor handling construction of the iconic Oshodi Transport Interchange on behalf of the Lagos State Government, Planet Projects Limited has completed the hoisting of Skywalk Bridge linking terminals one and two of the interchange.
The exercise, which started on Sunday evening and lasted till early hours of Wednesday, was supervised by relevant government agencies, and supported by Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), among others to ensure security and safety.
The State Government had announced partial restriction of movement on Oshodi flyover to enable it advance the construction of the transport interchange.
Giving details on the exercise, Managing Director of Planet Projects, Mr. Biodun Otunola said the hoisting of the pedestrian bridge of the Oshodi transport interchange was a significant milestone in the construction of the project, saying that all hands were on deck to ensure the interchange is delivered between October and November, 2018.
“This bridge is the longest free-standing bridge in the history of this country. It spanned 53.2metres. It is only supported at the two ends without any support at the middle and it is part of the skywalk for the Oshodi Transport Interchange.
“This particular one links terminal one and terminal two. We also have another one that is linking terminals two and three and that is about 155metres long. The plan is that people can move from one end of the terminal to another be it from terminal one, two and three and then the nature of the terminal is such that we have six lifts and one escalator, and so in all we have 18 lifts and three escalators.
“For anyone to access each of the sky bridge, you have to use the lift and we also have staircase for emergency exit. The skywalk is part of the features of the Oshodi Transport Interchange designed to make travel pleasurable, enjoyable, safe and more comfortable for commuting Lagosians,” Otunola said.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr Taiwo Salaam, said the exercise was a critical stage of the construction of the interchange, saying it was in line with the vision of the State Government to redefine public transportation in the State.
“What is happening here is connectivity of terminal one and two of the transport interchange which has three terminals. It is a skywalk for pedestrians to link the terminals and this is an intermodal connectivity that is taking place.
“The dream of Lagos State Government under his Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is to bring a befitting public-passenger transport that is sustainable, safe, frequent and reliable to people and the new Bus Reform Project needs all these appurtenances and infrastructure to be able to effectively run public-passenger transportation,” Salaam said.
He said the Oshodi interchange, when operational, would process minimum of one million passengers daily, while the Ikeja Bus Terminal which was constructed as part of the vision to transform public transportation would process 600,000 passengers daily.
“If we compare the two with processing of passengers to local and international airport, they are far below at about 21,000 passengers, and so for us in Lagos, we believe there is need to bequeath functional, efficient, safe and comfortable transportation system to our people,” Salaam said.
He said as part of plan for intermodal transport system, work was progressing on the Blue Line as well as Red Line Rail projects, while the State Government was also constructing new ferry routes and jetties to boost water transportation.
On his part, General Manager of LASEMA, Mr Adesina Tiamiyu said the agency was principally at the scene of the construction to provide the necessary safety backup and help to ensure hitch-free exercise.
“As an agency, the Oshodi interchange is a massive project and we are here first to give support to the project and secondly, we have also come with the capacity that we have to be able to provide an emergency services if the need arises.
“We have medical team with an ambulance on standby; we have lifting capacity with a forklift that could assist if they need them; we also have tow trucks because we have done some diversions here and if there are issues with broken down vehicles, we have to quickly do that so that we don’t lock up this road,” Tiamiyu said.
Meanwhile, the State Government has commended motorists and residents for their understanding and cooperation while the hoisting of the skywalk bridge lasted.
Salaam said the total cooperation of motorists during the period the flyover was closed to traffic, led to the completion of the installation process without any hitch.
The State Government also commended the project team led by Messrs Planet Projects Limited, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies community for making the exercise come to completion safely and without any incidents.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
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More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
The project ends decades search for investors, boosts Nigeria’s blue economy
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
Nigeria’s maritime sector is set for a major transformation following a landmark agreement involving the world’s largest container shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which has secured a 45-year concession to build, manage and operate a modern container terminal at Snake Island Port in Lagos.
The project, to be developed in partnership with Nigerdock, marks one of the most significant private sector investments in Nigeria’s port infrastructure in recent decades and is expected to strengthen the country’s role as a major maritime gateway in West and Central Africa.
For Nigeria, the agreement brings to close decades of efforts to attract large-scale investors to develop Snake Island Port, a strategically located maritime asset in Lagos.
Long-standing concession history
Snake Island’s maritime facilities date back several decades. In 1992, the Federal Government granted a 99-year concession for the island’s port and industrial facilities to Nigerdock, a major maritime engineering and logistics company.
Nigerdock was later privatised and is currently operated by the Jagal Group owned by Nigerian industrialist Maher Jarmakani.
Over the years, the Island Container Terminal fell into disrepair, requiring major rehabilitation and modernization to meet modern global shipping standards.
The new partnership with MSC is expected to transform the port into a state-of-the-art container handling facility capable of attracting larger vessels and increasing Nigeria’s cargo throughput capacity.
Buhari administration approved the project.
The investment framework for the Snake Island development was approved in May 2023 by the Federal Executive Council under then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The approval authorised total private investment of approximately $974.1 million for the project under a Public-Private Partnership structure, including the 45-year concession period.
At the same time, the Federal Government also approved two other major maritime infrastructure projects:
• Development of the Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, Ondo State, with $1.48 billion in private investment and a 50-year concession.
• Expansion and development of the Burutu Sea Port in Delta State, involving $1.2 billion in private investment and a 40-year concession.
These projects form part of Nigeria’s broader effort to develop its blue economy and expand maritime trade capacity.
Construction partners
Engineering and construction of the Snake Island container terminal will be handled by:
• ITB Nigeria Limited
• DEME Group
ITB Nigeria Limited is part of the Chagoury Group and owned by the Chagoury family, while DEME Group is a globally recognised Belgian marine engineering and dredging company with extensive experience in port construction.
MSC profile
Founded in 1970 by Italian shipping entrepreneur Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, MSC has grown from a single cargo vessel into the largest container shipping company in the world.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the company operates in more than 155 countries and serves over 500 ports worldwide, with a fleet of roughly 900 container ships and over 200,000 employees globally.
The MSC Group also operates major logistics and maritime businesses including inland logistics through Medlog, cruise tourism through MSC Cruises, and port terminal operations across several continents.
According to Forbes, the estimated net worth of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte is about $43.9 billion as of February 2026, placing him among the world’s richest shipping magnates. The company remains privately owned by the Aponte family, with both founders holding equal ownership stakes.
Management comments
Speaking on the development, MSC Group President Diego Aponte said the company is committed to strengthening its operations in Nigeria and across Africa.
“We are proud to expand our presence in Nigeria through this important infrastructure project. The Snake Island terminal will enhance service delivery and improve port efficiency for our customers and partners in the region,”
Chief Executive Officer of Nigerdock, Maher Jarmakani, described the agreement as a major milestone for the Nigerian maritime sector.
“We are delighted to partner with MSC in developing a world-class container terminal that will enhance Nigeria’s logistics capabilities and support economic growth,” he said.
Economic impact
Industry analysts say the project could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy by expanding cargo handling capacity, reducing congestion at Lagos ports and attracting additional international shipping traffic.
The development is also expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across maritime operations, logistics, transport services and port-related commercial activities.
Infrastructure expansion
Beyond the port development, plans are also underway for Nigeria’s first underwater tunnel, linking Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island through Snake Island and connecting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway corridor through Badagry.
The tunnel project is expected to significantly improve freight movement and road connectivity between Lagos ports and national transport networks.
Strategic milestone
With the entry of MSC into the Snake Island development, industry observers say Nigeria is taking a significant step toward modernizing its maritime infrastructure and positioning itself as a regional hub for global shipping and trade.
For a project that has waited for decades for major international investors, the Snake Island concession represents a turning point in Nigeria’s port development strategy and a strong signal of global confidence in the country’s maritime future.
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
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