By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
LAGOS ROADS descended into turmoil on Wednesday, with commuters facing hours of congestion due to the sudden closure of the Independence Bridge for essential repairs.
The closure, which began on April 1, 2025, has crippled traffic in the city’s commercial heart, particularly on Victoria Island and Ikoyi, as residents struggled to navigate the overcrowded streets.
The two-month repair project is expected to last until the end of May, with significant disruptions predicted across major routes.
The closure of the Independence Bridge, which connects Victoria Island to Marina, terribly left commuters facing unexpected delays.
Many residents, still recovering from the two-day holiday, were caught off-guard by the gridlock, worsened by early morning rains that made an already tense situation even worse.
The resulting traffic jam caused severe delays, forcing people to either spend long hours commuting or resort to walking long distances.
For many drivers, the cost of the disruption has been steep.
A local driver, who chose to remain anonymous, shared his frustration, saying he had made a financial loss after being delayed in traffic. “I woke up at 4.00am, and I’m still on my second trip, when I should be on my fourth. This is a huge loss for me,” he explained.
The situation was similarly distressing for passengers. A commuter stuck at Falomo Bridge, detailed her experience: “I was stuck for over three hours. By the time I got to Obalende, passengers were queuing for vehicles. I’m exhausted, and I don’t know how I’ll manage the rest of the day.”
As the gridlock stretched throughout the day, the Federal Ministry of Works issued a statement from Olukorede Kesha, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, advising motorists to plan their journeys and seek alternative routes.
The closure, she explained, is necessary for critical maintenance and rehabilitation work on the bridge.
The Lagos State Government had previously issued an advisory on March 15, 2025, alerting residents to the upcoming closure.
Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, emphasised the need for alternative routes, especially for those travelling from Victoria Island to the mainland.
By Wednesday, alternative routes were already packed with frustrated motorists, and bottlenecks formed along streets like Lekki, Victoria Island, and Falomo Bridge.
Another motorist trying to leave Victoria Island, expressed his concern: “I left the Island at 2 ,00pm and was still stuck in traffic at 4.00pm. How will we survive this for two months?” Still, another female commuter described how a 15-minute journey had taken her nearly two hours.
For the duration of the repair works, alternative routes have been mapped out, including diversions from Ahmadu Bello Way to Victoria Island via Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue and Akin Adesola Street.
Similarly, the section of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) through Bonny Camp Bridge will also be closed.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) is on hand to manage traffic flow, urging motorists to exercise patience during the project.
