A heavy downpour on Wednesday has resulted in flood and traffic gridlock across Lagos State, disrupting economic activities in Nigeria’s commercial centre.
Videos circulating on social media and verified by BusinessDay showed that places like Iyana-Oworo, Oshodi, Lekki, Ikeja, Egbeda, and Gbagada were flooded on Wednesday morning.
The flooded roads are nearly impassable causing gridlock and discomfort for commuters.
Many Lagosians heading out for daily activities on Wednesday morning have registered their lamentations on social media while advising others to stay at home.
“This is Gbagada to 7up inward 3MB. Stay home if you have no business on the island. #Traffic,” Chu Osakwe captioned a video posted on X.
“If your route this morning is mainland to island via 3MB, just forget it. Turn back home or reroute. I just passed by on the opposite side and the beginning of Third Mainland (iyana woro?) is car door height flooded. I’ve never seen that on the bridge before,” another X user, Mochievous, said.
Adding that, “Please let me adjust my advice. If you live in Lagos, do not even consider coming out of your house today. Everywhere is flooded. I didn’t expect it to be this bad on the mainland. Flooded and all the roads are blocked in any direction.”
Reacting to the development, Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos commissioner for environment and water resources, said the situation inward 3rd Mainland Bridge is flash flood and that it will go away in about 1-2 hours.
“The Olopo Meji inward 3rd Mainland situation is a flash flood that is due to the high intensity of the rain, long duration rain coupled with high tidal lagoon level at the moment. Be rest assured it would go away in about 1-2hour.
As the high tidal level of the lagoon goes down, the rain / storm water will be able to discharge into the lagoon,” the commissioner said on X.