Lagos faces an annual economic drain of N4 trillion due to traffic

Lagos State, Nigeria’s bustling commercial center, grapples with an annual economic loss of N4 trillion attributed to persistent traffic congestion, reveals a recent study by the Danne Institute for Research.

Titled ‘Behavioural Causes of Traffic Congestion in Lagos,’ the study, funded by the Bank of Industry and Africa Finance Corporation, underscores the urgent need for intervention to mitigate the adverse economic and social impact on residents.

Franca Ovadje, the Executive Director of the Danne Institute for Research, highlighted that this substantial financial loss could otherwise be channeled into critical sectors like education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.

Behavioural factors take center stage as primary contributors to the problem, including inadequate road infrastructure, traffic law violations, disruptions caused by ‘agberos’ at bus stops, and the inefficiency of buses picking up passengers.

Ovadje emphasized the disheartening reality that despite Lagos boasting a population of 21 million, this demographic strength fails to translate into corresponding productivity due to the debilitating effects of daily traffic congestion.

The report further points out that in developing countries, doubling the population should result in a 5 to 6 per cent growth in productivity, a potential currently stifled by the ongoing traffic challenges in Lagos.

Revealing commuting statistics, the report notes that Lagosians spend an average of 2.21 hours daily in transit, with 45 per cent enduring journeys lasting more than two hours. Particularly affected areas like Ajah, Etiosa, and Apapa call for immediate measures such as nighttime road construction, the establishment of alternative routes during construction, and rigorous enforcement of traffic laws.