President Bola Tinubu has approved an additional 8.9-kilometre dual carriageway extension of the Bodo-Bonny Road in Rivers State to connect the newly inaugurated highway to the East-West Road.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, disclosed this on Saturday, November 7, during the inauguration of the Bodo-Bonny Road by President Tinubu at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.
Umahi said the extension would translate into 17.8 kilometres of reinforced concrete carriageway, adding that the project would further improve connectivity, ease transportation and create economic opportunities for communities and businesses along the corridor.
The minister put the average construction cost at approximately N7.4 billion per kilometre, citing the extensive engineering requirements, particularly the bridge infrastructure across the waterways.
The announcement came as the Tinubu administration formally inaugurated the 39-kilometre Bodo-Bonny Road, establishing the first permanent road connection between Bonny Island and the mainland after decades of dependence on water transportation.
President Tinubu unveiled the commissioning plaque, formally declaring the road and its accompanying bridges open to the public.
The plaque identified the infrastructure as the Bodo-Bonny Road, including bridges across the Opobo Channel along Route F430 in Rivers State.
The ceremony attracted senior government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders.
The newly completed road traverses Bonny and Gokana Local Government Areas of Rivers State and is expected to transform transportation, trade and economic activities in the area.
In a related development, the Federal Ministry of Works had disclosed in April 2026 that President Tinubu had approved the extension of the road to the East-West Road under a proposed Public-Private Partnership arrangement, with an estimated cost of about N150 billion.
At the time, Umahi said the extension would feature two flyovers, solar-powered streetlights and modern monitoring systems, including CCTV infrastructure, to improve road safety and security.
The latest announcement at the inauguration has again drawn attention to the planned extension, which is expected to complete the road connection to the wider highway network.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ceremony, the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dr Peer Lubasch, described the Bodo-Bonny Road as a historic infrastructure achievement, saying it had fulfilled a vision that remained unrealised for more than four decades.
“Today marks a historic milestone, not only for the people of Rivers State but also for Nigeria as a nation. For the very first time, Bonny Island is permanently connected to the mainland by road infrastructure,” he said.
Lubasch disclosed that the road was temporarily opened to traffic during the 2025 festive period and substantially completed between May and June 2026.
He explained that constructing the road through the challenging marshy terrain of the Niger Delta required extensive engineering interventions to ensure its stability and durability.
The project features three major bridges across Afa Creek, the Opobo Channel and Nanabie Creek, with a combined length of approximately 2,600 metres, as well as 10 smaller bridges measuring about 600 metres collectively.
Other construction works included the placement of approximately 3.5 million cubic metres of sand, the installation of 10 million linear metres of prefabricated vertical drains and the use of one million square metres of geotextile materials.
According to Lubasch, the specialised engineering solutions were necessary to overcome the difficult ground conditions and ensure the long-term stability of the road.
He said the infrastructure would stimulate commerce, promote socio-economic development and provide thousands of residents and businesses with a safer and more reliable alternative to water transportation.
“Today, this road will significantly improve connectivity, stimulate commerce, enhance socio-economic development and, most importantly, provide a safer and more reliable alternative to water transportation for thousands of Nigerians,” he stated.
The Julius Berger managing director commended the Federal Government, Nigeria LNG Limited, the Rivers State Government and other stakeholders for their contributions to the project. He also acknowledged the engineers, project managers, technical professionals and thousands of workers involved in its execution.
For residents of Bonny Island and neighbouring communities, the inauguration represents a major breakthrough after generations of reliance on waterways for access to the mainland.
Bonny, which hosts significant oil and gas operations, has long faced transportation challenges because of its island location. The new road is expected to ease the movement of people and goods, improve access to markets and social services, and strengthen commercial links with other parts of Rivers State.
The additional connection to the East-West Road is expected to further enhance the strategic value of the project by linking Bonny Island more directly to the wider road network.
With the inauguration of the main road and the planned extension, attention will now turn to the delivery of the additional carriageway and the full realisation of the economic benefits anticipated from the historic infrastructure project.
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