Heavy rain leaves Lagos commuters stranded, hikes transport fares

Heavy rainfall on Monday brought parts of Lagos to a standstill, leaving many commuters stranded, forcing residents to wade through floodwaters and triggering sharp increases in transport fares.

Residents described the downpour as one of the heaviest in recent weeks, saying it disrupted movement, delayed businesses, and reduced productivity.

For many commuters, the journey to work became an exhausting struggle through flooded roads, gridlocked highways and overcrowded buses.

A resident of Alimosho, Odion Okiade, said rainy days had become more expensive as transport operators often took advantage of the situation to increase fares.

“My transport fare increases by at least N1,500 whenever it rains. Today’s rain was something else,” Okiade said.

She added that the recurring fare hikes have further worsened the financial burden on residents already grappling with the high cost of living.

Nkiru Ogbonna, who commutes from Costain, said she had to wade through knee-deep floodwaters to reach her office.

“I had to wade through knee-deep water to get to my office this morning,” she said, describing the experience as a recurring ordeal during heavy rainfall.

Chineme Onuoha, who travelled from the Cele axis, said traffic around Orile turned what should have been a few minutes’ journey into a frustrating commute.

“Something that would normally take three to five minutes to Costain took us about 25 minutes, and I got to work late,” she stated.

Mrs Deborah, who lives in Ayobo, said heavy rainfall regularly disrupts movement in her community.

Deborah, however, appealed for measures to reduce flooding in vulnerable communities during the rainy season.

Also speaking, a resident of Fantasy Island on the outskirts of Sango near Agbado, Oluchi Uzoma, blamed indiscriminate waste disposal for persistent flooding in her area.

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Uzoma said: “The rain has cut us off. We can hardly go anywhere because our roads are no longer motorable.

“If you’re not careful, the next minute you’ll land in a pothole filled with water. It’s better to stay home until the rain subsides.”

Uzoma added that many residents now remain indoors during heavy rainfall, while businesses that depend on customer visits record poor patronage.

“People throw waste on the roads and inside gutters. The gutters are now filled with sand and rubbish, so water no longer flows,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) urged residents to remain vigilant, warning that rain and thunderstorms would persist across Lagos and other parts of southern Nigeria.

The agency said strong winds could precede thunderstorms and urged motorists to drive cautiously because roads might become slippery and visibility reduced.

NiMet also advised residents to avoid flooded roads and drainage channels and warned against taking shelter under trees or near power lines during thunderstorms.