Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Ogun State counterpart, Dapo Abiodun, have appealed to motorists and commuters to exercise patience as severe traffic congestion persists around the Kara Bridge and adjoining sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. 

The gridlock has left many road users stranded for hours, with some reportedly forced to spend the night on the road after failing to reach their destinations.

The congestion followed the commencement of repair work on the bridge’s deteriorating expansion joints on September 8, 2026, a project directed by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, and aimed at improving road safety and structural integrity along the busy corridor.

The rehabilitation, expected to last about two weeks, involves closing one half of the affected section at a time while traffic is managed on the available side of the bridge.

Sanwo-Olu, in a post on Instagram, said he understood the frustration of residents travelling out of Lagos and those moving within the city following the disruption. He urged motorists to remain patient, obey the directions of traffic officials and plan their journeys where possible, adding that the state government felt their pain and wished them safety on the road.

Abiodun, for his part, ordered the mobilisation of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency to strengthen coordination around the affected corridor, working alongside security and emergency responders to clear obstructions and ease vehicular movement.

He cautioned motorists against driving against traffic or creating additional lanes, warning that such conduct could worsen the congestion and delay emergency response, and specifically urged commercial drivers and operators of articulated vehicles to comply with all traffic directions.

Traffic on the corridor has reportedly stretched well beyond the Kara Bridge in recent days, extending through the Otedola Bridge and 7Up Junction and deep into Lagos, with some reports placing the buildup beyond the Secretariat Bus Stop.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the agency had anticipated the disruption and had issued a traffic advisory ahead of the repairs, appealing to motorists without pressing business along the axis to avoid the route until normal flow resumes.