Lagos Begins 24-Hour Traffic Operations, Inaugurates Night Response Team to Curb Congestion

The Lagos State Government has rolled out a 24-hour traffic management and enforcement system through the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), marking a major step toward improving mobility, safety, and order across the city.

Announcing the initiative on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, said the framework would revolutionize traffic governance in Africa’s busiest metropolis and support Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s vision of a continuously operating, efficient city.

“This initiative reflects the governor’s strategic ambition to guarantee the uninterrupted movement of people, goods, and services in Nigeria’s economic hub—free from congestion and disorder,” Giwa said.

He explained that the round-the-clock operation underscores the administration’s commitment to discipline, vigilance, and operational efficiency, particularly ahead of the festive season, when traffic and commercial activities typically intensify.

The 24-hour regime introduces continuous traffic monitoring, rapid emergency response, and swift clearance of obstructions to reduce congestion and improve commuting experience for residents.

A central component of the framework is the establishment of the Night Rapid Response Gang, a specialized LASTMA unit dedicated to handling nighttime traffic emergencies such as vehicle breakdowns, collisions, and other road obstructions across key corridors.

As part of the broader urban renewal strategy, the government also led a major clearance operation along Apapa Road, Costain, and Ijora Under Bridge, dismantling illegal structures and shanties that impeded free movement and posed safety hazards.

The operation—carried out in collaboration with LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, MOPOL, the Lagos State Task Force, and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC)—resulted in the removal of unauthorized traders, makeshift shelters, and other environmental violations.

During the exercise, officials uncovered an illegal diesel dumping site and confiscated expired plantain chips and cheese balls stored in unhygienic conditions, underscoring the administration’s drive to protect public health and the environment.

Authorities also cleared blocked drainages filled with metallic debris, a recurring cause of flooding and environmental degradation. Commercial buses and tricycles operating unlawfully along the newly constructed Costain Bridge and Apapa Road were impounded, while shanties near St. Catholic Church School and criminal hideouts under Ijora Bridge were demolished to enhance security and restore urban order.

Reaffirming the government’s position, Giwa said:

“Lagos must remain a city defined by structure, order, and discipline.”

LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, appealed to traders, transport operators, and residents to comply with traffic regulations, use designated markets and parking zones, and cooperate with authorities to maintain a safe, clean, and orderly city.

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