The latest gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is another painful reminder that Nigerians continue to pay a heavy price for poor road management, weak traffic planning and years of inadequate infrastructure maintenance.
Motorists were reportedly trapped for more than 14 hours after a seven-vehicle crash around Kara Bridge compounded the traffic problems caused by ongoing repair work. The accident involved a container truck and six other vehicles. Although no death or injury was reported, the disruption was severe.
For thousands of Nigerians, the gridlock meant lost working hours, missed appointments, wasted fuel, delayed deliveries and enormous frustration. Some motorists spent most of the day on the road. Others resorted to driving against traffic, creating additional risks.
This is not simply a traffic problem. The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is one of Nigeria’s most important economic routes. It connects Lagos, the country’s commercial centre, with Ogun, Oyo and other parts of the country. Trucks use it to move goods, while workers, traders, students, farmers and families depend on it every day.
When this road is paralysed, economic activity suffers.
The Federal Government deserves credit for undertaking the rehabilitation of the deteriorating expansion joints on Kara Bridge. The repair began on September 8 and is expected to last until September 22. The work is necessary to improve the condition and safety of the bridge.
But necessary repairs should not become an excuse for unnecessary suffering.
Authorities announced traffic-management measures before the work began, including lane restrictions and diversions. Motorists were also advised to plan their journeys. Yet the repairs have already produced major congestion, with reports of traffic stretching more than 20 kilometres into Lagos and commuters spending several hours on the road.
The latest accident exposed another weakness: emergency response on critical highways.
When a crash occurs on a road carrying thousands of vehicles, damaged vehicles must be removed quickly. Traffic must be redirected immediately, emergency workers must have clear access, and motorists must receive reliable information about alternative routes.
Traffic agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps, LASTMA, the police and Ogun State traffic officials, have been deployed to manage the situation. Emergency responders and towing operators have also worked to clear the accident scene.
But Nigeria needs a more permanent system.
Heavy-duty towing equipment should be available around critical points on the expressway. Traffic officials should be positioned strategically during periods of road construction. Emergency diversion plans should be prepared before repairs begin, rather than improvised after congestion has become uncontrollable.
There must also be stronger enforcement of traffic rules. Motorists who drive against traffic during gridlock do not solve the problem; they can cause another accident and block emergency vehicles.
However, government must also do its part. Construction areas need clear signs, proper barriers, adequate lighting and visible lane markings. Motorists should know exactly where to go and what to expect.
The bigger lesson is the importance of preventive maintenance. Major roads and bridges should be inspected and maintained regularly before defects become emergencies. Nigeria cannot continue to wait until infrastructure deteriorates badly before taking action.
The government should also accelerate the development of alternative transport links. Better secondary roads and efficient rail services would reduce the pressure on the Lagos-Ibadan corridor and ensure that one accident does not cripple movement between major economic centres.
Nigerians have become too accustomed to spending hours in traffic. That should not be accepted as normal.
A worker should not lose half a working day because a truck broke down on a major highway. A trader should not lose income because traffic management failed. Essential goods should not spend hours stranded on the road because there is no effective emergency response.
Road infrastructure is not just about concrete, asphalt and bridges. It is about people’s time, safety, businesses and livelihoods.
The immediate task is to complete the Kara Bridge repairs safely and quickly while keeping traffic moving. The longer-term task is to build a road system that is properly maintained, intelligently managed and capable of responding quickly when accidents occur.
Nigerians deserve roads they can depend on. They deserve to travel safely, arrive on time and return home without spending an entire day trapped in traffic.
