President Tinubu said, “The dream of the Bonny Kingdom has come true; the dream of the Bodo Kingdom has come true.
“No more risky journeys through the busy Bonny River, no more expensive helicopters, no more untold hardships to reach this blessed island.”
He added, “For now, the road is open only for light vehicles from 7am to 7pm daily. Heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and tricycles are barred until final completion targeted for March 2026.”
The President commended Julius Berger, particularly the Project Manager, for ensuring steady progress on the project.
He called for enhanced collaboration with the Rivers State Government to develop trailer parks at both ends of the Bodo–Bonny Road, warning that indiscriminate parking by trucks would not be tolerated due to the potential damage it could cause.
He also urged traditional rulers in Bodo and Bonny, alongside the state government, to provide 20 plots of land for the trailer parks.
Also speaking at the flagship ceremony, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for rescuing the project from abandonment.
He appealed for continued federal government support, saying, “This is the temporary opening of the Bonny–Bodo Road but Mr President it is a permanent joy for the people of Bonny, Bodo and Rivers State.
“We thank you for what you are doing for the people of the Niger Delta Region. Because of our natural environment, we face different obstacles, like Oliver Twist, we will ask for more.”
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Barinada Mpigi, also appreciated President Tinubu’s commitment to the Ogoni people and pledged continued support for his administration.
On his part, Julius Berger’s Project Manager, Mr Tim Nippert, confirmed that 35 kilometres of the dual carriageway are fully motorable and assured that the remaining sections will be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
The Bodo–Bonny Road, which features 11 bridges, is the first federal road to link the mainland directly to Bonny Island, home to Nigeria LNG and other multi-billion-dollar oil and gas assets.
The project, valued in billions of naira, was awarded on December 11, 2014, with construction commencing on October 20, 2017. It is being handled by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.
