Potholes worsen on Lagos roads as motorists report delays, repair costs
Motorists using parts of Shasha Road, Ikosi Road and Goddylove Road in Lagos are navigating worsening potholes that are slowing movement and, according to some road users, increasing vehicle-repair costs.
On-ground reporting found vehicles slowing around damaged sections of Shasha Road, with some drivers moving into the opposite lane to avoid potholes.
Large potholes and craters were also observed on part of Goddylove Road.
The affected corridors cut across Alimosho Local Government Area, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area and the Egbeda area.
The road damage is established. Claims about exact repair costs, how long individual sections have been neglected and the cause of the deterioration remain based largely on residents’ and motorists’ accounts.
Shasha motorists navigate damaged sections
On Shasha Road, motorists identified areas around Jimoh, Ajako and Moshalashi as particularly affected.
Vehicles were observed slowing near Jimoh Bus Stop as drivers negotiated potholes.
Further towards Moshalashi, some motorists moved into the opposite lane to avoid damaged sections while contending with oncoming traffic.
Residents said the condition had persisted for months.
Some also said granite had been placed on parts of the road but had not solved the problem.
Those accounts have not been independently matched against official maintenance records or contracts.
Drivers complain of repair costs
Some motorists said repeated use of the damaged roads was increasing wear on their vehicles.
One Shasha Road user said he had spent heavily on repairs.
A tricycle rider on Ikosi Road also said he had repeatedly paid to repair vehicle components.
Those claims reflect individual experiences. They have not been independently quantified across the wider population of road users.
Ikosi users report slower movement
Motorists on Ikosi Road said movement becomes more difficult during rainfall because water can hide potholes and force drivers to slow down.
Road users said this contributes to congestion.
The available evidence supports slower movement around damaged sections, but it does not establish that the road is continuously gridlocked or impassable.
Rainfall is relevant as a condition that can make existing potholes harder to navigate. No engineering assessment reviewed by IDNN establishes it as the cause of the deterioration.
Goddylove residents seek repairs
On Goddylove Road in Egbeda, reporting observed large potholes and craters along the section linking Ogunlana.
Residents described the road as an important connection for communities around Akowonjo, Shasha and the Idimu-Ikotun axis.
They want government intervention, arguing that repairs would make movement easier and reduce pressure on nearby routes.
The scale of any wider traffic benefit has not been independently measured.
Who is responsible?
A central accountability question is which authority is responsible for each affected road and whether repairs are planned.
Residents have accused relevant authorities of allowing the roads to deteriorate.
That allegation has not been established as a finding of neglect.
At the time of the latest reporting, Lagos State Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotoso and Alimosho Local Government Chairman Akinpelu Johnson had not responded to calls and text messages seeking comment.
No current official response covering all three roads was available in the material reviewed by IDNN.
The available reporting also does not establish definitive maintenance responsibility for every corridor.
What happens next
The next important development would be an official response identifying responsibility for the affected roads and stating whether repairs are planned, funded or already under way.
For commuters, the immediate consequence is simpler: damaged sections are slowing movement, forcing evasive driving and, according to some motorists, increasing repair costs.
For government, the accountability test is whether the responsible authorities can identify the affected corridors, explain what maintenance has been done and provide a clear repair timetable where intervention is required.
For now, the verified position is that significant potholes and road damage have been observed on parts of Shasha Road, Ikosi Road and Goddylove Road, while motorists and residents continue to call for repairs.