Barbara Bako, Abuja
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has transferred the second Niger Bridge to the Federal government following its completion.
The second niger Bridge, linking Southeastern Nigeria to other regions, was implemented through the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), with NSIA acting as both Fund and Project Manager.
While anouncing the transfer, The NSIA said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja said the scope of the second Niger Bridge project involved the construction of a 1.6km concrete box-girder bridge over the River Niger, construction also involved the two (2) secondary bridges at Amakon Village Road and Atani Road of 21.7m each, construction of a new cloverleaf interchange at Onitsha – Owerri Road and construction of 10.3km approach roads from Asaba, Delta State and Onitsha, Anambra State.
The authority also said the scope of the project also covered the construction of a temporary link road, approximately 2.4 kilometres long, from the Asaba end of the Bridge to the Benin-Asaba dual carriageway, enabling immediate bridge operation until the completion of the two 17.5 kilometres connecting approach roads.
The PIDF was established by the Presidency in 2018 to accelerate the completion of certain critical and strategic infrastructure projects to catalyse socio-economic advancement in parts of the country.
Some projects initiated under the PIDF include the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja–Kano Road.
The NSIA said it collaborated with critical stakeholders such as the Presidency, Federal Ministries of Works, Finance and Justice to fulfil both the technical and financial requirements of the project.
The Second Niger Bridge, the agency said, would boost economic activities by expanding access into the Southeastern part of the country, generate employment opportunities, and improve road safety along the corridor.
“The Authority takes great pride in serving as both the Fund and Project Manager for this strategic infrastructure project as it validates the trust reposed in NSIA by the Presidency”, the Managing Director/CEO of the sovereign wealth agency, Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said.
“Furthermore, the completion and handing over of the second Niger Bridge to the government aligns with our over-arching objective to stimulate socio-economic development in Nigeria by developing critical infrastructure of national significance,“ Umar-Sadiq added.
READ ALSO:FG flag off construction on Abuja’s largest mini-grid
The MD who spoke at the handover of the bridge, said the transfer of the Second Niger Bridge to the Federal Government represented a significant achievement for the NSIA, as it aligns with its commitment to effectively execute large scale complex projects that positively impact the socio-economic conditions for the present and future generations of Nigerians.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, who also expressed satisfaction with the project, said the Second Niger Bridge was ‘impeccable, very beautiful and well completed’.
NSIA is Nigeria’s sovereign wealth and investment institution established to manage the country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund realised in excess of budgeted hydrocarbon revenues.
The NSIA manages Nigeria’s wealth through three distinct sub-funds, namely the Stabilization Fund (SF), the Future Generations Fund (FGF) and the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund (NIF).
The construction of the second Niger Bridge was funded with funds drawn from the NIF.
