Local News
Lagos Moves to Ease Traffic During Lekki–Epe Expressway Upgrade
Hon. Comm. for transportation – Oluwaseun Osiyemi
The Lagos State Government has moved to ease concerns of residents and motorists along the Lekki–Epe axis, assuring that the ongoing 20-kilometre rehabilitation of the Lekki–Epe Expressway will be completed on schedule, with extensive measures in place to manage traffic and minimise disruptions.
Top government officials gave the assurance during an inspection of the project corridor on Tuesday, covering the stretch from Admiralty Way to Eleko Junction.
The inspection was led by the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, alongside the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engr. Olufemi Daramola, and the Special Adviser on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa.
Engr. Daramola explained that the rehabilitation, approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will see both carriageways of the expressway upgraded using asphaltic pavement to improve road durability and driving comfort.
He noted that although construction was earlier paused during the festive season, full work will now resume after a fresh assessment confirmed the contractor’s readiness.
To reduce traffic disruptions, the project has been divided into eight sections, with construction carried out on one carriageway at a time. Each direction is expected to take about two months, while critical sections will witness round-the-clock work to fast-track delivery.
Speaking on traffic control, Mr. Osiyemi said the state had developed a detailed traffic management plan informed by past construction experiences on the corridor.
He said motorists should expect sectional road closures, contraflow operations, and flexible lane sharing, with traffic flow adjusted to favour peak directions during morning and evening rush hours.
According to him, a heavy presence of traffic officers, supported by road signage, lighting, and real-time monitoring, will be maintained to ensure safety and reduce congestion.
He urged motorists to remain patient and comply with traffic instructions to ensure smooth movement throughout the rehabilitation period.
Mr. Osiyemi also revealed that alternative routes, including the Coastal Road, have been carefully assessed. Additional traffic officials and security operatives will be stationed along these routes to maintain order and protect commuters.
He assured that the government has taken steps to curb extortion and other illegal activities along diversion routes, while security agencies will provide protection for both road users and construction workers.
Hon. Sola Giwa emphasised that the safety of commuters remains a top priority, adding that emergency response vehicles, security personnel, and traffic management teams will be strategically positioned to promptly handle breakdowns, accidents, or other incidents.
In a related advisory, the state government announced that rehabilitation works on Sections 2 and 3 of the expressway will begin on Sunday, January 25, 2026, and are expected to last for about 64 days.
The construction will proceed intersection by intersection, starting from the Chevron–Igbo Efon axis, under an eight-phase schedule projected to run until early April 2026.
Motorists heading towards Lagos have been advised to use alternative routes, including connections to the Coastal Road through Ogombo–Abraham Adesanya and Eleganza–Orchid–Lafiaji corridors, to avoid delays.
Reaffirming its commitment to long-term infrastructure development, the Lagos State Government said the phased rehabilitation is aimed at delivering a safer, stronger, and more reliable expressway for millions of commuters who rely on the Lekki–Epe corridor daily.
Residents and motorists were called upon to cooperate with authorities, as the government promised to provide regular updates as construction progresses.
The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the timely completion of the ongoing 20-kilometre rehabilitation of the Lekki–Epe Expressway, assuring residents and motorists of a comprehensive traffic management strategy to reduce inconvenience during the construction period.
The assurance was given on Tuesday during an inspection tour of the project corridor, spanning from Admiralty Way to Eleko Junction.
The tour was led by the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engr. Olufemi Daramola; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, alongside members of the media.
Engr. Daramola disclosed that the rehabilitation project, awarded by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, involves the upgrade of both carriageways of the expressway using flexible asphaltic pavement designed to enhance durability and safety.
He explained that full-scale construction, which had been delayed due to the Yuletide festivities, will now commence following a reassessment of contractors’ readiness on site.
According to him, the rehabilitation will be executed in eight phases, with work carried out on one carriageway at a time to ensure continued traffic flow. Each direction is expected to take about two months, with construction activities running day and night, particularly at critical points, to meet the project timeline.
On traffic management, Mr. Osiyemi stated that the state had drawn from previous experience on the Lekki–Epe corridor to design a robust and responsive traffic control plan.
He said traffic will be managed through sectional closures, contraflow operations, and dynamic lane sharing, with peak traffic directions prioritised during morning and evening rush hours.
The commissioner added that a large deployment of traffic officers, supported by clear directional signage, proper illumination, and continuous monitoring, would be in place to prevent congestion and unsafe driving.
Motorists were urged to obey traffic instructions and cooperate with traffic officials throughout the construction period.
Mr. Osiyemi further disclosed that alternative routes, particularly the Coastal Road, have been identified and assessed. Additional traffic and security personnel will be deployed along diversion routes to ensure smooth movement and safety.
He stressed that measures have been put in place to prevent illegal activities and extortion along these corridors, while security agencies will safeguard motorists and construction workers.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to road user safety, Hon. Sola Giwa assured that adequate security operatives, traffic management personnel, and emergency response vehicles would be strategically stationed along the corridor to swiftly respond to incidents or vehicle breakdowns.
Meanwhile, the state government announced that rehabilitation works on Sections 2 and 3 of the expressway will commence on Sunday, January 25, 2026, and are expected to last approximately 64 days.
The works will be carried out on an intersection-by-intersection basis, starting with the Chevron–Igbo Efon axis, under an eight-phase schedule projected to run until early April 2026.
Motorists travelling towards Lagos were advised to utilise alternative routes, including access to the Coastal Road via Ogombo–Abraham Adesanya and Eleganza–Orchid–Lafiaji corridors, to avoid construction zones.
The Lagos State Government reaffirmed that the phased rehabilitation is a critical infrastructure investment aimed at improving road quality, enhancing safety, and delivering a better commuting experience along one of the state’s busiest transport corridors.

Residents and motorists were appealed to for patience and cooperation, with assurances that regular updates will be provided as work progresses.
AIRPORTS
FAAN, Air Force Forge Stronger Alliance to Secure Nigeria’s Airports
FAAN Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku and Air Vice Marshal Japhet Ekwuribe, Commander of the National Air Defence Corps during the visits to FAAN headquarters Lagos on Tuesday
Nigeria’s aviation security architecture is set for a major boost as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Air Force move to deepen collaboration in safeguarding the nation’s airports.
FAAN Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, made this clear during a high-level engagement with the Commander of the National Air Defence Corps, Air Vice Marshal Japhet Ekwuribe, in Lagos, where both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to tighter operational synergy.
At the heart of the renewed partnership is a shared determination to stay ahead of evolving security threats within airport environments.
Kuku stressed that modern aviation security demands more than isolated efforts, highlighting the need for intelligence sharing, coordinated strategies, and sustained inter-agency cooperation.
“We are dealing with dynamic security challenges that require strong partnerships and proactive coordination,” she said, noting that FAAN remains committed to working closely with the Air Force on airside patrols, surveillance, and sensitive flight operations.
She also raised concern over increasing cases of land encroachment around airport perimeters, describing it as a critical risk to aviation infrastructure that requires urgent and collective action.
In response, Air Vice Marshal Ekwuribe commended FAAN’s leadership for its forward-thinking approach, describing the collaboration as a strategic step toward strengthening surveillance and rapid response capabilities across Nigeria’s airports.
“This engagement provides an opportunity to reinforce institutional ties and improve operational effectiveness in tackling shared security priorities,” he said.
Both parties agreed to develop practical frameworks that will enhance coordination, improve monitoring systems, and ensure swift responses to potential threats.


The renewed alliance signals a proactive shift in Nigeria’s aviation security posture, one that prioritizes collaboration, vigilance, and resilience in protecting critical national assets.
AIRPORTS
Nigeria Defends Aviation Charges, Says Costs Reflect Sector Reforms
Mr. Henry Agbebire-Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection-Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria
Nigeria has pushed back against claims of excessive aviation charges, arguing that current pricing reflects long-overdue reforms rather than inefficiency or overpricing.
Reacting to recent concerns raised by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says the country’s aviation charges must be understood within the context of decades of underinvestment and ongoing sector transformation.
In a detailed policy response, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, Henry Agbebire, said the narrative portraying Nigeria as an expensive aviation market is “technically correct but strategically incomplete.”
“The real issue is not simply ‘high charges.’ It is why those charges exist,” Agbebire stated.
IATA had classified Nigeria among countries with aviation charges above global averages—a trend seen across Africa, where fees are estimated to be about 15 percent higher than global benchmarks. However, FAAN insists that focusing solely on pricing ignores deeper structural realities.
According to Agbebire, many of Nigeria’s recent tariff adjustments are not new burdens but corrections of long-standing underpricing. “You cannot run a 21st-century aviation system on 2002 pricing,” he said, noting that several charges remained unchanged for nearly two decades despite inflation and rising operational costs.
He pointed out that even revised tariffs remain competitive. For instance, cargo charges increased from ₦7 to ₦20 per kilogram still fall below inflation-adjusted values.
Beyond statutory charges, FAAN highlighted other major cost drivers often overlooked in global assessments. These include sharp increases in jet fuel prices—by as much as 300 percent—and foreign exchange constraints that once left up to $850 million in airline funds trapped in the country.
“These factors, spanning fuel, forex, and logistics, often outweigh statutory charges in determining ticket prices,” Agbebire explained.
He further emphasized that aviation development comes with unavoidable financial realities. “There is no version of aviation development that is both cheap and world-class,” he said.
Despite the challenges, FAAN maintained that Nigeria is actively reforming its aviation ecosystem. Government interventions in fuel pricing, efforts to improve cost transparency, and ongoing infrastructure upgrades are all part of a broader strategy to enhance competitiveness.
Agbebire stressed that aviation charges should be viewed as investments rather than mere costs. “If higher charges fund safer airports, modern infrastructure, improved passenger experience, and global compliance, then they are not merely costs; they are investments,” he said.
He concluded that Nigeria’s aviation sector is undergoing a necessary transition—one aimed at long-term sustainability and growth.

“The real story is not that Nigeria is expensive,” Agbebire added. “The real story is that Nigeria is paying the price of transformation.”
AIRPORTS
FAAN Staff Returns $1,700, Passports at Lagos Airport
FAAN staff member, Frank Omorojie, after returning a lost purse containing $1,700 and travel documents at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, in a gesture widely praised for honesty and professionalism.
A staff member of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has been widely commended after returning a lost purse containing $1,700 and vital travel documents at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The staff, Mr. Frank Omorojie, a casual worker in FAAN’s Environment Department, made the discovery at the departure hall of Terminal 2 near the RwandAir check-in counter.
According to airport authorities, the purse contained a British passport, a Nigerian passport, a credit card, and $1,700 in cash.
Omorojie promptly handed the items over to Aviation Security (AVSEC) officials, triggering standard recovery procedures. The belongings were documented and transferred to the Customer Service Department, which immediately issued a public announcement.
Within minutes, the passenger—who had feared the worst—was identified and reunited with her belongings, all intact.
FAAN officials described the incident as a strong reflection of professionalism and integrity within Nigeria’s aviation system, noting that such actions reinforce public trust in airport operations.
Speaking briefly after the incident, Omorojie downplayed his role, stating, “I just did what was right.”

The Authority reiterated its commitment to promoting ethical conduct and high service standards across all airport personnel.
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