Going to and from Lagos Island in South-West Nigeria is once more a pleasurable experience. Reason: The Third Mainland Bridge has been fully re-opened after repair works that led to the closure of the country’s longest bridge on July 8.

The bridge was re-opened this afternoon by Nigeria’s Works Minister, Mike Onolememen, and a News Express Correspondent who passed through it this evening confirmed that traffic now moves freely on both sides.

“It took us just a few minutes to cruise from the Obalende end of the bridge to Oworonshoki,” the Correspondent said. “This is quite fast considering that it is peak period when workers are exiting the Island on the way home to the Mainland. The Oworonshoki – Obalende side is even much more freer,” the Correspondent added.

The bridge had been partially closed during the period of the repairs, with the Obalende to Oworonshoki lanes being closed in the morning hours and reopened from noon, while the other side of the road was closed till midnight. Carried out by Borini Prono, the repair works cost a princely sum of a billion naira.