Lagos Closes Oke-Afa Bridge For Three-Week Rehabilitation Works

By Sherif Salau

Motorists, commuters, and residents in Isolo, Ejigbo and nearby communities face fresh traffic disruptions as the Lagos State Government prepares to shut the Oke-Afa Bridge for urgent repairs.

The state government announced that the bridge will be closed from Friday, 28 August, until 18 September 2026 (a period of three weeks) to allow contractors carry out full rehabilitation works. Officials described the intervention as necessary to address structural concerns and restore the bridge to safe, serviceable condition after years of heavy use.

The Oke-Afa Bridge is a major link for thousands of daily commuters travelling between Isolo, Okota, Ejigbo, Ikotun, Ijegun and parts of the Lagos–Badagry Expressway route. Its temporary closure is expected to force motorists onto longer alternative routes, raising the prospect of heavier congestion on already strained roads during the peak morning and evening periods.

State authorities have urged road users to plan their journeys carefully and to use alternative diversion routes once the closure takes effect. While full details of the alternative paths are still being finalised, traffic management teams are expected to be deployed at major junctions to ease the flow of vehicles.

Residents and commercial drivers have begun expressing concern about the timing of the works, noting that the three-week window coincides with the return to full economic activity after the mid-year period. Local traders who rely on the bridge for the movement of goods fear delays and higher transport costs during the shutdown.

Government officials insist the rehabilitation cannot be postponed. They say the works form part of a broader effort to maintain critical infrastructure across the metropolis and prevent more serious failures that could close the bridge for far longer. “Safety remains our priority,” a senior official in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure stated, adding that the state is committed to completing the project within the announced timeframe.

As the countdown to Friday begins, many Isolo, Ejigbo, and Ikotun residents are already mapping out new routes and adjusting their schedules. For a city that never quite stops moving, the next three weeks will test both the patience of its people and the effectiveness of its traffic management plans.