Following the announcement for the advertisement for expression of interest on the Fourth Mainland Bridge, no fewer than 39 construction companies across the globe Wednesday expressed interest in the construction of the proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

But the state government had assured the qualified firms will be shortlisted and announced after thorough consideration of interested firms.

Some of the companies that expressed interest in the project are: Julius Berger, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Kyeryong Construction Company, Pythgoras Holdings, CRCCCI Nigeria, China State Construction and Engineering Corporation Nigeria Limited, Bua International Limited, China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Company Limited, among others.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye, who disclosed this after the open biding held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, said that the opening of the bid was the first of the six stages before a winner would be selected to construct the Fourth Mainland Bridge, describing the process as very transparent.

She said since the government did not have the funds for the project, it had to place it under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, saying government was encouraged by the number of companies that bid for the project worldwide.

According to her, the next step, which is the evaluation stage would begin on Thursday, saying that the companies that qualified for the next stage would be contacted.

She disclosed that 39 companies expressed interest in the project, adding that the bid was opened publicly to get investors’ confidence in the project.