BUSINESS DAY
Lagos has again emerged with the worst ranking in the world based on traffic congestion, in the Numbeo traffic index.
The ranking includes Los Angeles, CA, United States, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Delhi, India and Dhaka, Bangladesh as the top five worst-traffic cities in the world.
Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria and one of the fastest-growing urban areas globally struggles with severe infrastructural challenges that exacerbate its traffic woes.
The city’s road network, designed to accommodate a much smaller population, now strains under the weight of over 16 million inhabitants and an increasing number of vehicles.
Several factors contribute to the perpetual gridlock that grips Lagos.
These include high population density surpassing 6,871 people per square kilometre, rapid urban sprawl leading to poorly designed roadways, inadequate infrastructure development struggling to keep pace with population growth, and insufficient public transportation despite efforts like BRT systems.
Additionally, traffic management challenges are exacerbated by ineffective traffic control measures and enforcement of traffic laws, worsened during periods of heavy rainfall.
The traffic situation in Lagos has become a substantial economic and social burden, significantly affecting productivity due to daily commuting delays and exacerbating health issues stemming from air pollution.
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