Lagos State Government launches 24-hour traffic management and environmental clearance initiative to ensure order, safety and urban renewal across the city

Lagos State Government has unveiled two far-reaching initiatives designed to transform traffic governance and restore environmental order across Nigeria’s commercial capital.

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As part of the reforms, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has commenced a 24-hour operational framework for traffic management and enforcement—marking a historic shift towards round-the-clock oversight of vehicular movement in the state.

The initiative, launched by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, represents a pivotal moment in Lagos’s urban governance strategy and aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s vision of ensuring seamless mobility in a city that never sleeps.

According to a statement by the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, the continuous operation model is designed to enhance vigilance, reduce congestion, and improve emergency response.

Giwa described the 24-hour framework as a bold and visionary step towards ensuring traffic discipline, safety, and efficiency, particularly as Lagos approaches the festive season, traditionally marked by heavy vehicular activity.

“This initiative exemplifies the Lagos State Government’s commitment to safeguarding mobility, preserving lives, and sustaining productivity through perpetual traffic oversight,” Giwa stated.

A core element of the policy is the creation of the Night Rapid Response Gang, a specialised LASTMA unit responsible for handling late-night incidents such as road obstructions, breakdowns and collisions across key corridors of the metropolis.

Simultaneously, the Lagos State Government conducted a comprehensive clearance operation along Apapa Road, Costain, and the Ijora Under Bridge, targeting illegal structures, shanties, and roadside trading that had long obstructed free traffic flow.

The large-scale enforcement exercise, led by Giwa in collaboration with LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Task Force, Mobile Police (MOPOL), and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), resulted in the removal of unauthorised traders and demolition of unsafe makeshift structures.

Officials also discovered an illegal diesel storage site and seized expired consumer goods, including plantain chips and cheese balls, stored in unhygienic conditions.

The government explained that repeated warnings had been issued to those occupying spaces beneath bridges, as such encroachments contribute to flooding, environmental decay and insecurity.

During the operation, commercial buses and tricycles operating illegally on Costain Bridge and Apapa Road were impounded, while shanties near St. Catholic Church School, Apapa Road were demolished to restore the area’s urban and educational character.

Giwa reaffirmed that the Sanwo-Olu administration will not compromise on public safety, environmental protection or adherence to the rule of law, insisting that Lagos must remain a structured, disciplined and liveable city.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, urged residents, traders and transport operators to support the reforms by using designated markets and parking zones.

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He emphasised that combining 24-hour traffic management with environmental enforcement reflects Lagos’s holistic approach to sustainable urban mobility—a model that prioritises innovation, discipline, and civic responsibility.