Julius Berger Finishes Construction of the Bodo-Bonny Road

Bennett Oghifo

The 37.9‑kilometre Bodo‑Bonny Road project in Rivers State, awarded to engineering construction company Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, has been completed. Project Manager Engr. Tim Nippert said the few staff remaining on site are planting trees along the road and laying foundations for streetlights.

He declared, “The project is completed. What’s outstanding is only tree planting and streetlight foundations, as well as pole installations, especially around Kilometre 12 roundabout. Those are the two only things we have to do.”

He added that some joints on the Bodo‑Bonny Road bridges are just being finished, delayed by missing imported materials. “We have them now. We will complete them within the next two weeks, then we are done with these works.”

He noted that all street‑light foundations on the right‑hand side of the Km 12 roundabout approach are visible, and different foundations are on the left‑hand side. “That’s the only things which are ongoing.”

Nippert said Julius Berger finished the work within the approved budget and generated savings, which are now funding additional features such as street lighting and beautification. Outstanding tasks, including these enhancements, are expected to finish within the next two weeks.

“From the contract sum, we made some savings and the ministry awarded us to provide streetlights and do some beautification like tree planting. We are now equipping the entire project with additional streetlights with budgets we have saved. It’s actually very good for the ministry that they don’t need to spend more money,” he said.

Minister of Works Engr. David Umahi directed that the Bodo‑Bonny Road be opened to users by the end of November 2025, with full completion and commissioning scheduled later. Umahi gave the directive during an inspection tour of federal road projects across the South‑South and South‑East regions in October 2025, where he assessed Julius Berger’s progress on the critical highway.

He noted that the project, which began on 20 October 2017, had undergone several cost reviews. “This project, 37.9 km, we call it Bodo‑Bonny, is exactly eight years old today. The commencement of the project was on 20th of October 2017.”

Justifying the cost, Umahi said the project translates to about ₦7.4 billion per kilometre, which he described as reasonable given the terrain and the standard of work. “This is a coastal route going through marshy lands. If we were to do this project now, it would cost over ₦15 billion per kilometre. The quality of work is very good, and I’m very happy with the commitment of the project manager,” he said. Umahi directed that all barricades be removed by the end of November to allow partial traffic flow while monitoring continues until the final asphalt surfacing is completed later.

The minister further said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will commission the road and revealed plans to install solar‑powered streetlights, CCTV cameras, and trees along the embankments, noting that the enhancements would be financed from the project’s contingency funds without additional cost to the government.

As the first road link between Bonny Island and the rest of Rivers State, the Bodo‑Bonny road is a milestone infrastructure development for the Niger Delta and a catalyst for the continued success of Bonny Island, a key industrial area tied to Nigeria’s economic development and general wellbeing.

This pioneer project is also a benchmark for financing cooperation between the private and public sectors, referencing the special contractual conditions of part funding of 50 % by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG).

Technically, the road is a massive undertaking with many construction challenges due to the low‑lying marshy area, muddy and swampy soil conditions, and considerable tidal movements. The scope includes construction of a 39 km long road, cross culverts, two mini bridges with a span of 23 m each, two creek bridges—Afa Creek Bridge of about 530 m length and Nanabie Creek Bridge of about 640 m length—and a major river bridge of about 750 m length over the Opobo Channel.

Substantial dredging activities and several specialised soil stabilisation methodologies were carried out, as well as employing incremental launching for constructing the bridges.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has approved phase 2 of the Bodo‑Bonny Road project in Rivers State.

Minister of Works Senator David Umahi disclosed this recently at the Medallion award presentation organised by the Bodo‑Bonny Road and Bridges Peace Committee in Abuja.

Umahi, represented by Minister of State for Works Bello Goronyo, said the road is more than a physical link; it is a bridge to opportunity, a lifeline for commerce, and a symbol of national cohesion.

The Minister explained that the Ministry was already “putting pen on paper to start work immediately.”

The project, he said, is a key connectivity link that will reduce insecurity and boost commerce in the Niger Delta.

“It connects coastal communities to the mainland, reduces insecurity, and opens doors for prosperity across the Niger Delta.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Planning Committee for the Bodo‑Bonny Road project award ceremony, Prof. Jasper Jumbo, said Nigeria has remembered the communities after a tortuous 38 years of the project.