The Federal Government has ordered the immediate commencement of night-time repairs on the Lagos–Ota–Abeokuta Road to address critical failures and restore traffic flow on the busy corridor.
The development was reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The directive was given by the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, during an inspection of the federal highway linking Lagos and Ogun States on Monday.
What the Minister is saying
Umahi said the intervention followed an assessment of about 22 kilometres of the road, with active repairs focusing on roughly 18 kilometres identified as the most distressed sections.
He explained that although the Federal Government was already handling about 60 kilometres along the corridor, the works were being executed in phases based on urgency.
The minister attributed the persistent failures on the road to unresolved concession issues as well as misjudged engineering parameters during earlier construction.
He said the immediate palliative works would begin at once, mostly at night, to minimise disruption to traffic and target sections that currently prevented free movement of vehicles.
“The Federal Government has ordered immediate commencement of palliative works on the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road to address critical failures and restore traffic flow.
“The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, gave the directive during an inspection of the federal highway linking Lagos and Ogun states,” the NAN report read in part.
It added, “The minister said that the repair would begin immediately, mostly at night, targeting sections that prevented free movement of vehicles.”
More insights
According to the Works Minister, low-lying and failed sections of the road will be rebuilt with concrete to improve durability.
He noted that the Ota-bound carriageway is more severely damaged than the Lagos-bound side.
Umahi added that a second phase of the project will include full resurfacing of the road, replacement of bridge expansion joints, and the installation of solar-powered streetlights.
He also assured that the concessionaire will operate and maintain the road once the repair works are completed.
What you should know
The Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway is an 81-kilometre federal highway linking Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, with Ikeja in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.
- It is one of the country’s busiest transport corridors, serving commuters within metropolitan Lagos, adjoining Ogun communities, and travellers moving between the South-West and other parts of Nigeria.
- Traffic volume on the corridor has continued to rise over the years, with estimates putting daily usage at over 250,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs).
The pressure from constant traffic, combined with longstanding structural issues, has contributed to the repeated failures experienced along the road.
In October 2023, the Federal Government approved the redevelopment of the Lagos–Ota–Abeokuta Road under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI).
At the time, Works Minister Dave Umahi explained that the initiative allows state governments or concessionaires to reconstruct federal roads, toll them for a defined period to recover costs, and subsequently remit proceeds to the Federation Account.
