Light showers on Wednesday disrupted traffic in front of the Fatgbem Filling Station, just a few metres from the OPIC corridor along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The rain, which began around 12 p.m. in Lagos State, flooded the entire corridor heading towards Ogun State and lasted for several hours.
Our correspondent, present at the flooded section of the road, observed that the waterlogging caused significant traffic congestion as vehicles struggled to navigate through.
The corridor condition prompted road users to urge the Federal Government to repair the affected section before the rainy season fully sets in.
A commercial driver, Oluwatosin, warned that the waterlogging was just a preview of the challenges commuters would face on the road during the upcoming rainy season.
He said, “The rainy season hasn’t even begun yet. This was just a few hours of rain—imagine the situation if it had lasted longer!”
A commuter, Àjayi Olawale, highlighted the faulty drainage system along that section of the road, stressing the need for repairs to prevent further erosion.
“The problem is the drainage. You can see that the water has nowhere to go. If there were a proper drainage system, there wouldn’t be flooding or waterlogging.
“This is one of the things that ruin roads. They’ll ignore this drainage issue until it completely damages this section, and then, millions of taxpayers’ money will be spent on repairs.”
A frequent user of the expressway, who identified himself as Thomas, criticised the construction company managing the road for its negligence.
Thomas said, “The construction company shows up every year to fix one issue or another, yet this isn’t the first time this area has been flooded.
“They are well aware that this section of the expressway needs repairs, so what’s stopping them from installing a proper drainage system to allow the water to flow freely?”
When contacted on Wednesday, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC spokesperson Emmanuel Isibor was unavailable for comment on the company’s efforts to address the problematic sections of the road.
Motorists travelling the route have identified frequent accidents and rainfall as major challenges affecting them on the expressway.
