Oluwatobi Adu 
LAGOS, Nigeria – At least 69 people have been killed and 246 others injured in road crashes across Lagos in just three months, exposing the human cost of persistent traffic violations and weak compliance on Nigeria’s busiest urban roads.
The grim figures were released by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority in its first-quarter operational report for 2026.
According to LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the agency cleared more than 600 accident scenes between January and March, while intensifying enforcement against reckless driving, particularly among truck and articulated vehicle operators.
He disclosed that over 900 infractions involving heavy-duty vehicles were resolved within the period, alongside 4,900 physical enforcement actions. In addition, 17,942 traffic offences were detected using digital monitoring systems, including Traffic Management Solutions devices.
Bakare-Oki said all impounded vehicles would be prosecuted through the Lagos State Mobile Court, reinforcing the agency’s zero-tolerance stance.
Despite the alarming casualty figures, he noted improvements in traffic response time, attributing gains to the strategic deployment of recovery vehicles and traffic equipment.
“For the first quarter, we have improved service delivery, particularly in reducing travel time for residents,” he said.
The agency also rolled out a year-long training programme targeting over 1,000 personnel in 2026, aimed at strengthening operational efficiency and modernising traffic management systems.
However, road safety advocates warn that without stricter enforcement, driver reorientation, and infrastructure upgrades, fatalities may continue to rise in Africa’s most populous city.
About the Author
Mirian Gom 