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Repairs on Third Mainland Bridge Begins Sunday
By Bliss Okperan
The Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos will be closed for two Sundays to allow for repairs on the bad portions of the facility, the Lagos State government has said.
The federal government is partnering with the state government to fix the bridge, which was built in 1990 by a former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida.
As a result of the repairs, the bridge will be shut down, with traffic diverted to other routes, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Transportation in Lagos State.
These measures were due to recurring accidents caused by potholes and leaving the road bad and unsafe for its users.
The facility will be closed on September 17 and 24 between the hours of 7.00 am and 7.00 pm each Sunday for the remedial works to be carried out by the state government through the Lagos Public Works Corporation (LPWC) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works.
Motorists have continued to lament the terrible conditions of the bridge and the diversion of traffic during the work period of such repairs.
On Thursday, the Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr Abdulhafiz Toriola, said traffic would be diverted during the repairs to ensure swift completion.
“The proposed works will be strictly executed in two phases, with phase one focusing on only the most critical sections on the Iyana-Oworonsoki inward Adeniji Adele/Lagos Island,” he said.
The state government issued a travel advisory to ensure seamless movement of traffic.
Motorists from Lagos Mainland going through Herbert Macaulay Road (Adekunle axis) inwards Lagos Island via Third Mainland Bridge will be diverted towards Murtala Muhammed Way to make use of Carter Bridge to link Lagos Island. Toriola Advised.
Also, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Alapere/Ogudu axis, inwards Lagos Island, will be diverted towards Gbagada-Oshodi Expressway to link Ikorodu Road/Funsho Williams Avenue to access Eko Bridge and Lagos Island.
Mr Toriola informed motorists to take the necessary precautions and to follow the rules and regulations of the state, saying, “We assure you that despite the traffic impact on the alternative routes, LASTMA will be deployed to minimize inconveniences and ease movement along the affected corridors.”
“Various traffic agencies involved, in conjunction with other security and safety personnel to form good synergy, will ensure appropriate traffic management measures aimed at improving the safety and flow of traffic, reducing traffic emissions and utilising traffic artery capacity more effectively throughout the duration of the exercise,” he further stated.
The Permanent Secretary added that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force, and other traffic personnel would be on the ground to effectively control and manage traffic.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The corporate mobility solution from Bolt, Bolt Business, has expressed its desire to strengthen relationships with existing customers in Nigeria by introducing solutions tailored to industries with frequent employee mobility needs, including healthcare, financial services, legal services and logistics.
This is as the organisation, over the past 12 months, delivered double-digit growth in the country, driven by expanding adoption across multiple industries, growing demand from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and an increasing number of firms seeking cost-efficient alternatives to managing in-house transport fleets.
The Country Manager for Bolt for Business Nigeria, Mr Isaac Iroko, disclosed that the smarter mobility solutions being planned will improve visibility, simplify expense management and support business growth.
“Our focus remains on building products that create value for organisations of every size while delivering a seamless experience for their employees,” he stated.
Bolt Business has continued to experience an increasing demand from businesses seeking smarter, more efficient ways to manage employee transportation and business travel.
It serves organisations across a broad range of industries, including financial services, technology, healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, logistics, media, real estate and fast-growing consumer businesses.
The growth reflects a broader shift in how Nigerian businesses approach corporate mobility. Rather than maintaining expensive vehicle fleets or relying on fragmented transport arrangements, more organisations are adopting digital mobility platforms that offer greater transparency, control and operational efficiency.
“Businesses today are looking beyond transportation; they’re looking for smarter ways to optimise operations and manage costs.
“We’ve seen organisations across different sectors embrace Bolt Business because it gives them a simple, reliable and transparent way to manage employee travel, whether it’s daily commutes, client meetings or business trips.
“This growth demonstrates that corporate mobility is becoming an increasingly important part of business efficiency in Nigeria,” Mr Iroko stated.
Unlike traditional fleet management, Bolt Business enables companies to centralise transportation through a single platform, providing features such as centralised billing, trip reporting, spending controls and real-time visibility into employee travel. These capabilities help businesses improve oversight while reducing the administrative burden associated with corporate transportation.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To boost economic activities in Lagos Island and support residents, the chief executive of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Mr Bashir Are, sponsored the training of eight persons at the LagRide Drivers Academy through the LagRide Partner Programme.
Mr Are funded both the academy training and the vehicle costs, removing the two barriers that most frequently prevent qualified drivers from entering formal, structured employment in the mobility sector.
The beneficiaries were handed over keys to their vehicles at a ceremony in Lagos on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
They now operate a LagRide vehicle under the platform’s Drive To Own programme, which allows a Captain to earn daily income while working towards full ownership of the vehicle at the end of the agreed payment term.
“The initial capital required to be onboarded was never going to come from these young men, so we provided that intervention financially so that they can have good employment.
“Lagos is a megacity. My agency runs the largest gaming and fintech conference on the continent every year, and when those delegates arrive, we do not want them driven around in poor vehicles. This is also employment for our own people, and we have a great deal of unemployment and underemployment in this country.
“These Captains are from Lagos Island Local Government, and they can now take care of their own families. Let me be clear about one thing. This is not a project. It is a programme, and it continues,” Mr Are stated.
Also speaking, the chairman of LagRide, Ms Diana Chen, said, “Today is just a new beginning, and more and more people will come. More local governments will join us, and one day we want to bring the Governor here so that this programme runs across the state.
“LagRide is a platform where a person comes to take a job and ends up owning the vehicle. It is also a platform that any government, or any organisation with a social development or CSR mandate, can use to empower the people they want to support. The people get their own asset at the end of it.”
On her part, the lawmaker representing Lagos Island Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs Omolara Oyekan-Olumegbon, said, “Everyone keeps saying there are not enough jobs for our youths. This is our own way of ensuring that they are empowered.
“When you give a person money, it is money, and it finishes. This is the difference between giving a man a fish and teaching him how to fish. You are giving these young men something they can use to take care of themselves, their families and their homes.
“We must thank the chief executive of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority for doing this, and I must also thank Chief Diana Chen. Lagos Island is a commercial hub, and we intend to keep the flag flying. This is the beginning, and we will be coming back to ask for more.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A bill aimed at prohibiting hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles in Nigeria has been passed by the Senate.
The bill known as the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, imposes fines between N50,000 and N100,000 for violations if assented to by the President.
The piece of legislation was passed by the red chamber of the National Assembly on Thursday and should later be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Members of the upper chamber of the parliament explained that the law was amended to discourage distractions in commercial vehicles and improve the safety of commuters.
In addition, motorists who fail to cooperate with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) during roadside breath tests conducted on reasonable suspicion are liable to fines or imprisonment or both.
Lawmakers noted that this was to improve compliance with road safety regulations and reduce road crashes, as fines for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs were raised to N100,000 from N5,000, with the risk of spending two years behind bars.
It was also proposed that disobedience to traffic lights, road signs, pavement markings and other traffic control devices will now attract N100,000, while the fine for speed limit violations is now N100,000, with reckless driving now a fine of N100,000 or two years’ imprisonment.
