FG looks away as motorists, economy bleed on Lagos-Benin-Asaba expressway

Until about 24 hours ago, the federal and state governments connected by the Lagos–Benin–Agbor–Asaba–Onitsha expressway had been in ‘siddon look mode’ as motorists and travelers on this route reeled in a breath-choking gridlock.

For many days now, this expressway has been a nightmare for these motorists and travelers, who have had to spend two to three days on a journey that would ordinarily take less than five hours, following the collapse of several portions of the expressway.

The federal and governments of the adjoining states, particularly Edo, seem to be asleep while both human capital and the economy bleed on this expressway, more so as the expressway is a major gateway to economic hubs in the Eastern and Northern parts of the country.

The sorry condition of that expressway underscores the insensitivity and carefree attitude of governments, especially at the state level, where governors are awash with cash coming from the petrol-subsidy removal windfall that hits their coffers every month.

Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Finance, recently revealed that a whooping N15.8 trillion had been saved from the subsidy removal between 2023 and June 2026, pointing out that much of this saving was shared among states and local governments.

Expectation has been that, without recourse to the federal government, these states should be able to repair, reconstruct or rehabilitate road infrastructure in that domain, including the Lagos-Benin-Asaba Expressway. But that action remains to be seen.

It took David Umahi, the Minister of Works, till Tuesday (yesterday) to visit the  Expressway to address its deplorable condition many days after it had caused significant hardship to commuters.

During his inspection, Umahi was quoted as having apologised to motorists and assured them that the government would not stop at temporary measures, announcing that emergency work would be combined with longer-term repairs to improve the road’s condition.

The minister also expressed disappointment with the Concession Company on the Expressway, which had been poorly handling the project, and questioned their technical capacity to execute the work.  He described the concessionaire’s performance as having “failed woefully” and stated that the government would review the arrangement.

The prolonged gridlock along the route is not only disrupting commercial activities and making daily commuting increasingly difficult, but also leading to delayed movements, missed business opportunities and wear and tear of vehicles, many of which get stuck in the ditches and craters on the expressway.

Motorists who are frustrated over the hours and days spent in the gridlock, lament that the situation is taking a toll on their businesses, vehicles and daily activities.

The poor condition of the expressway, combined with the heavy volume of vehicles on it every day, has made movement particularly difficult, such that even residents of that area are impacted negatively in terms of business downtime and disruption of commercial activities.

Describing the situation on the expressway as a national emergency, Dan Ngerem, a social affairs analyst, underscored the need for prioritising it as an economic corridor.

“Maintaining this critical network is not a regional luxury; it is a fundamental pillar of national productivity, public safety, and economic security,” Ngerem said, noting that heavy-duty trucks carrying vital manufacturing components,imported goods, and agricultural perishables are routinely trapped for days at failed junctions like Ologbo, Okada, and the Benin Bypass.

He pointed out that the gridlock escalates operating costs, explaining that fleet operators face an estimated 40 percent surge in emergency maintenance costs due to severe mechanical wear and tear. Paired with massive fuel wastage from vehicles idling through hours of gridlock, the overhead costs of doing business nationwide continue to soar.

Ngerem added that there is also social impact in terms of public health risks and community isolation. “Journeys that should seamlessly take 5 to 6 hours now stretch into grueling 15 to 24-hour nightmares and some stretching to days.

Commuters are subjected to profound psychological strain, extreme physical fatigue, and the hazards of being stranded for days without sanitation or medical access,” he said.

According to him, highway safety is compromised as severe potholes and structural craters create involuntary bottlenecks. “When commercial vehicles are forced to a crawl, they become vulnerable targets for highway criminality and opportunists,” he explained.