Public Administration and the Management of Urban Traffic Congestion in Lagos

This study evaluates the administrative frameworks and policy tools employed by Lagos State Government to manage urban traffic congestion, a chronic governance challenge in Africa's largest city, located in the South West geopolitical zone. Lagos, with an estimated population exceeding 15 million, faces severe traffic gridlock that costs the economy billions of naira annually in lost productive hours and increased logistics costs. A professional survey design is used, collecting data from 185 transport officials, urban planners, private transport operators, and commuters across five local government areas. The data are analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. The Urban Governance and Mobility Theory provides the conceptual framework, focusing on the interaction between land use planning, public transport systems, and traffic demand management tools. Findings reveal that while the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system has alleviated some pressure on key corridors, inadequate road network expansion, poor enforcement of traffic regulations, and the proliferation of unregulated commercial motorcycles and tricycles continue to exacerbate congestion. The study recommends a comprehensive demand management strategy incorporating congestion pricing on key routes, expansion of the rail mass transit system, and strict enforcement of vehicle road worthiness standards. Keywords: urban traffic congestion, Lagos, transport administration, urban governance, mobility.