Repair works on the Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway are expected to resume fully on Wednesday.
Rehabilitation activities were halted on Saturday due to severe gridlock but are now scheduled to recommence.
The Federal Controller of Works in Ogun State, Layi Komolafe, who made the announcement, stated that the replacement of expansion joints on Kara Bridge outbound Lagos is “a must.”
“Therefore, I am formally informing the house and seeking the cooperation of everyone, especially FRSC Lagos (always willing & ever ready), Lagos State Police Command, Lagos State Ministry of Transport (LASTMA), etc., to help manage the traffic as we intend to commence full operation at this section on Wednesday, 4th March, 2026,” he said in a statement on Monday.
“This is very important as the traffic build-up will mostly affect vehicular movement inside Lagos. Thank you all.”
Motorists Urged to Cooperate
Komolafe appealed to drivers and other road users to adhere strictly to instructions issued by relevant authorities to ease traffic flow during the repairs.
Uncertainty Over Restart Date
Despite the planned resumption, concerns remain about whether the timeline is realistic. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have expressed some uncertainty about whether the works will indeed restart on Wednesday.
Last month, the FRSC indicated that rehabilitation works on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would require at least two months for full completion.
“Following discussions with the contractor and the Controller of Works, it was agreed that a period of about six weeks to a maximum of two months will be used to complete the work. Some of these repairs need time to properly seal,” the Lagos State Sector Commander of FRSC, Ganiyu Hamzat.
Hamzat explained that certain deteriorated sections of the road have led to collisions, as motorists attempting to avoid damaged spots often crash into oncoming or unsuspecting vehicles.
“We discovered that some of the bad portions of the road cause vehicles, while trying to dodge oncoming or unsuspecting vehicles, to ram into one another, thereby creating unnecessary accidents,” he said.
Strategic Importance of the Expressway
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway remains one of Nigeria’s busiest and most critical transport corridors, linking the nation’s economic hub with the South-East, South-South and other parts of the country.