Motorists using Independence Bridge on Lagos Island are being advised to prepare for traffic disruption from Friday night as the Federal Ministry of Works begins urgent asphalt repairs expected to continue through the weekend.
The Lagos State Government said the work is scheduled to start on the night of Friday, October 16, continue through Saturday and be completed on Sunday, October 18.
The repairs are scheduled to affect both inbound and outbound sections of the bridge, but the government says the bridge will not be completely shut at once.
Instead, sections are expected to be partially closed in phases, with one lane kept open to allow motorists to continue their journeys while work proceeds.
Motorists told to plan ahead
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, advised road users to plan their movements and consider alternative routes during the repair period.
Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority are also expected to be deployed around the affected corridor to regulate vehicle movement and reduce disruption.
The government has urged motorists to obey traffic instructions and cooperate with traffic officers during the works.
The advisory does not establish that severe congestion has already occurred. The main immediate consequence is the likelihood of slower movement and changing lane access once the partial closures begin on Friday night.
Repairs will run through the weekend
According to the state traffic advisory, asphalt work is expected to continue during the day and night on Saturday and Sunday.
The phased approach means motorists may still use the bridge, but capacity will be reduced whenever a section is closed for work.
That makes journey planning particularly important for road users moving through Lagos Island and adjoining routes over the weekend.
The state did not specify a single mandatory alternative route in the verified advisory reviewed by IDNN, instead urging motorists generally to use alternative connections where practical.
IDNN is therefore not publishing unverified diversion routes as official instructions.
Why the bridge matters
Independence Bridge is an important Lagos Island traffic link, and restrictions on the corridor can affect commuters, commercial drivers and businesses whose journeys depend on predictable access through the area.
Even a partial closure can shift vehicles onto nearby roads and increase travel times, especially if traffic demand remains high while repair crews occupy part of the carriageway.
The immediate public-service question is whether traffic officers can keep vehicles moving while the work proceeds and whether the repairs are completed within the announced weekend timetable.
What motorists should watch
Road users should expect changing lane access around the work zone and follow instructions from LASTMA and other authorised traffic personnel on the ground.
Motorists should also allow additional travel time and avoid relying on unofficial route information that has not been issued by the authorities.
The government says the repair programme is scheduled for completion on Sunday, October 18.
That remains a planned completion date rather than a confirmed reopening outcome.