Ikorodu Commuters Lament Return of Long BRT Queues
A fresh wave of concern has emerged over Lagos’ public transportation system after a viral video exposed the return of long queues at a major Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) terminal in Ikorodu.
Lagos-based content creator Onyinyechi Nwachukwu, widely known online as Darkskinned Ella, sparked widespread reactions after sharing footage showing hundreds of commuters waiting for buses at the Elepe BRT terminal in the early hours of Monday.
In the video posted on social media, the 23-year-old videographer questioned why the long lines had resurfaced despite recent assurances that additional buses had been introduced to ease congestion along the busy corridor.
According to her, she arrived at the terminal around 6:00 a.m., but by 6:30 a.m. many passengers were still stranded without buses in sight. The situation, she said, appeared to mirror earlier transport challenges that had previously triggered complaints from commuters across the city.
In the caption accompanying the post, Nwachukwu wondered whether the improved bus availability seen a few days earlier was only temporary. She noted that the terminal had relatively smooth operations on Thursday and Friday, but by Monday morning, commuters were again battling severe bus shortages.
The content creator has been documenting her daily commuting experience through an online series titled “100 Days BRT Challenge,” where she chronicles the realities faced by thousands of Lagos residents who depend on the BRT network to get to work.
She explained that juggling a full-time job while navigating Lagos’ hectic transport system inspired her to spotlight the everyday struggles of commuters across the metropolis.
Her posts have resonated with many Lagosians, particularly those who use the Ikorodu corridor—one of the city’s busiest transport routes—where passengers often spend long periods waiting for buses during peak hours.
Nwachukwu also recalled a recent incident at a BRT station where a staff member allegedly attempted to prevent her from recording the long queues, an encounter that sparked further online debate about transparency and the need for improvements in the state’s public transport system.
With the latest video gaining traction online, conversations have once again intensified about the capacity of Lagos’ BRT network and the persistent transportation hurdles faced by thousands of workers who rely on it for their daily commute.
