Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, was under lockdown by traffic Wednesday, a result of the shock closure of a critical bridge and an early-morning heavy downpour in the city.

The very busy Victoria Island and Ikoyi were the worst-hit by the Independence bridge closure, with most streets witnessing bumper to bumper traffic and arriving at work has been a most harrowing experience for commuters.

It was a rude shock for Lagos residents as the majority of them were caught in the paralysis that defined the bustling city after the two-day holiday.

This followed the commencement of repair work on the Independence Bridge, which started on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The two-month repair work will last till the end of May 2025.

The Federal government had earlier announced the closure to enable repair work on the Bridge which links Victoria Island to Marina on Lagos Island, and then Eko Bridge.

A combination of this repair work and early morning rain in some parts of the city threw the entire city into chaos as traffic snarl caused slow movement, delaying people from getting to work early as they had to trek long distances. Similarly, motorists could not make much progress with their work.

Most commuters spent upwards of six hours on distances that ordinarily would take them two to three hours. Transport fare also shot up by over 100 percent.

A driver, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed frustration over the delays, noting that he had suffered significant financial losses. “I woke up as early as 4 a.m. this morning, and I’m still on my second trip instead of the fourth, as I would have done on a normal day,” he explained. For him, this represents a substantial loss of revenue.

A passenger named Jolade shared her experience, revealing that after leaving her family by 6 am in Epe, she only managed to reach her workplace by 1 p.m.

Anita also voiced her frustration, recounting a particularly grueling experience. “I was stuck at Falomo Bridge for more than three hours without moving an inch. By the time I got to Obalende, passengers were forced to queue for vehicles to reach their destinations. I’m exhausted and don’t know how I’ll manage the rest of the day at work.”

The federal ministry of works had, in a statement signed by Olukorede Kesha, the federal controller of works in Lagos, advised motorists to plan their movement and seek alternative routes within the metropolis over planned closure of the Independence Bridge.

Kesha explained that the closure was to enable the ministry to carry out “essential maintenance and rehabilitation works on the bridge.”

“The federal ministry of works wishes to inform the motoring public of a planned closure of the Independence Bridge (Marina bound) commencing on April 1, 2025,” Kesha said.

“The closure will affect motorists travelling from the Ahmadu Bello Way and Adeola Odeku towards Marina, Eko Bridge and Onikan by Zone 2,” the controller added, stressing that the bridge would remain closed until the end of May 2025 for the repairs.

She, therefore, advised motorists to plan their journeys accordingly and seek alternative routes. (BusinessDay)