The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, described the newly constructed Mfum Bridge as “strategic infrastructure” that will strengthen Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
Fashola revealed this during the evaluation of the work done on the Mfum and Ikom bridges, both at Cross River.
The Nigeria News Agency (NAN) reports that the 408 meter long Mfum Bridge, which connects Nigeria to Bamenda in the Republic of Cameroon, was built by Nigeria in collaboration with Cameroon.
According to the minister, the bridge will facilitate trade in agricultural products, as well as goods made in Aba, Abia.
“This is a very strategic infrastructure that will lead Nigeria into the future for many decades to come and facilitate relations with our Cameroonian brothers.
“Nigeria is a signatory to the AfCFTA, so having this infrastructure here is exciting as it will increase trade, business and employment for our people.
While also inspecting the new Ikom Bridge, built by the federal government, Fashola said one of the main goals of the current administration is to expand, renew and modernize Nigeria’s infrastructure.
“The old bridge had a very low headroom which prevented freighters and large trucks from evacuating goods from the port of Calabar. The new bridge, 92% complete, would solve this problem.
“This infrastructure, which is consistent with Buhari’s economic recovery and growth plan, will improve trade in the country.
“They will also open the trade route from Calabar to Maiduguri via Ogoja and Katsina Ala,” he noted.
Construction of the Mfum Bridge, undertaken by the CGCOC Group, began on April 26, 2017 and was completed on March 31, 2021.
The project, which costs around $ 39 million, was funded equally by the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments with a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The Ikom Bridge is a SUKUK project. (NAN)
