Motorists groan as Kara Bridge repairs, multiple accidents bring traffic to a standstill.
LAGOS — September 16, 2026: What should have been an ordinary journey home on Tuesday turned into a nightmare for thousands of Lagos commuters as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was virtually brought to a standstill by massive traffic gridlock.
Motorists travelling towards Ojodu Berger, Isheri, Kara and other parts of the Lagos-Ibadan corridor spent several hours trapped in traffic as ongoing repair work on the expressway coincided with the peak evening rush hour.
The situation became even worse after multiple accidents involving vehicles were reported around the Kara Bridge axis, further obstructing the already restricted carriageway.
From Victoria Island at 3pm — home at 4am!
The extent of the traffic nightmare can be seen in the experience of some commuters who reportedly left the **Victoria Island axis of Lagos at about 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday** but did not arrive around **Ojodu Berger until approximately 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 16.
That is roughly 13 hours on a journey that would ordinarily take considerably less time.
For many commuters, the journey was not just slow — traffic reportedly remained at a virtual standstill for long periods, leaving motorists frustrated, exhausted and stranded late into the night.
Kara Bridge repairs worsen traffic
The Federal Government began a two-week rehabilitation of the Kara Bridge on September 8, with work focused on replacing deteriorating expansion joints.
The rehabilitation is expected to run until September 22.
However, the reduction in available lanes during the repair work has created a major bottleneck on one of the busiest routes linking Lagos and Ogun State.
The timing of the roadwork has also become a major source of frustration for commuters, particularly as the restrictions coincide with periods when thousands of people are travelling home from work.
Then came the accidents
As motorists struggled through the already congested corridor on Tuesday, the situation deteriorated further following reported crashes around Kara Bridge.
Reports indicated that a container-laden truck was involved in an accident around the bridge, while another incident reportedly involved several vehicles.
A separate container-laden trailer reportedly fell on the bridge, further obstructing traffic and worsening the already chaotic situation.
With fewer lanes available because of the rehabilitation work, the accidents created a situation in which even minor obstructions had a major impact on traffic flow.
Traffic spills into adjoining roads
The gridlock reportedly extended beyond the immediate Kara Bridge area, affecting traffic approaching Ojodu Berger and other connecting routes.
Motorists attempting to avoid the expressway were also confronted with heavy traffic on alternative routes, leaving many commuters with limited options.
By late Tuesday night, social media platforms were awash with complaints from motorists and commuters describing the situation as one of the worst traffic experiences on the corridor in recent times.
Authorities move to clear the road
Traffic management and emergency response officials were deployed to the affected areas to control the situation and remove vehicles involved in the crashes.
Efforts were also made to clear obstructions and create additional space for traffic around the construction area.
But for commuters who had already spent several hours on the road, the intervention came after significant delays had already been experienced.
Road repairs or commuter nightmare?
There is little doubt that the Kara Bridge requires rehabilitation, particularly given the importance of the route to Lagos and neighbouring Ogun State.
But Tuesday night's experience has raised fresh questions about how major repairs are managed on heavily trafficked roads.
For thousands of Lagos residents who simply wanted to get home after work, the question was simple:
Why did a journey that should take hours turn into an overnight ordeal?
As commuters continue to use the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, motorists are advised to expect significant delays around the Kara Bridge and Ojodu Berger corridors while the rehabilitation work and traffic-management operations continue.
For those who left Lagos yesterday afternoon, September 15 may be remembered as the day a journey home became a 13-hour battle through Lagos traffic.
