Nigeria’s Lagos state government has shortlisted three companies to construct the $2.5 billion Fourth Mainland Bridge to ease traffic congestion in Africa’s most populous city.

The three contenders are Mota – Engil, CCCC & CRBC [Mota-Engil, China Communications Construction Company & China Road and Bridge Corporation] consortium; CGGC & CGC [China Gezhouba Group Company & CGC Overseas Construction Group Co] consortium and CCECC & CRCCIG ]China Civil Engineering Construction & China Railway Construction Investment Group] consortium, said Jubril Gawat, a spokesperson for Governor Babajide Sanwoolu, in a series of tweets.

The bridge will be a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) development, said Gawat, adding that it comprises of greenfield tolled road and bridge featuring three toll plazas, 9 interchanges, a 4.5km lagoon bridge.

The winning bidder will be announced by year-end, he said.

The 37-kilometre bridge will stretch over the lagoon from Ajah in the east to Ikorodu in northern Lagos and is almost two times longer than Africa’s longest, Cairo’s 6 October Bridge.

(Writing by P Deol; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)