What was once one of Lagos’ most chaotic transit corridors is set for a major reset as the state government moves to reclaim and redesign the Obalende underpass, turning it into a structured transport hub through a partnership with MTN.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved the redevelopment of the Obalende Bus Stop, a space that has long symbolised the tension between Lagos’ mega-city ambitions and the realities on the ground. The project will transform the Obalende loop, underbridge and adjoining lay-by into a modern, regulated transport hub that aligns with the state’s broader urban renewal agenda.

The redevelopment, fully funded by MTN as part of its corporate social responsibility programme, is expected to convert the area into a functional and visually appealing public space, replacing years of disorder with structure and oversight.

For decades, the Obalende underbridge in the Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area has been known less for mobility and more for congestion, informal settlements and criminal activity. The corridor became a haven for miscreants, squatters and ram sellers, while abandoned vehicles, shanties, illegal trading and clogged drainage channels defined its daily reality. Heaps of refuse and open defecation further degraded the space, even as it served as one of the busiest transport links in the city.

The Lagos State Government has already begun clearing the area, evicting squatters and removing illegal structures under the bridge in preparation for redevelopment.

Speaking on the project, the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said construction would begin soon and would prioritise order, safety and sustainability. According to him, the redesigned hub will feature organised and regulated bus operations, supported by clear and well-labelled signage to improve passenger movement.

Also Read: Nigeria’s 10 largest companies by market capitalisation in 2025

The new facility, to be known as Y’ELLO Bus Park, will incorporate solar panels to support long-term energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint. Wahab said the hub will also include a recyclables drop-off station to encourage proper waste management and recycling practices.

“Tree planting is also planned to improve air quality and enhance the visual appeal of the environment,” he said.

He added that the space would accommodate road camps for Lagos State Waste Management Authority sweepers, as well as security agencies, including Kick Against Indiscipline and the Neighbourhood Agency, reinforcing safety and maintenance around the clock.

Beyond transport, the hub is being designed as a service-oriented public space. Wahab said facilities will include food and beverage kiosks for commuters, ticketing booths and public toilets, a move aimed at eliminating open defecation in the area.

He described the project as community-centred, noting that it is intended to improve health, wellbeing, security and the overall aesthetics of Obalende, while also helping to reduce crime.

“The proposed hub will also contribute to protecting the integrity of the McGregor Canal, which often gets heavily silted and blocked, leading to frequent clean-up efforts by the State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources,” Wahab said.

Obalende Bus Stop has evolved into one of Lagos’ most critical transport gateways, linking Ikoyi and Victoria Island and serving as a major route to the Mainland via the Third Mainland Bridge. Over time, however, rapid urbanisation and population growth reshaped the space without planning controls.

Wahab explained that informal economic activities gradually overwhelmed the area, leading to “illegal trading, improper waste management, unauthorised use by non-state actors, lack of greening and landscaping, open defecation, shanties, illegal structures and vagrants.”

The scale of deterioration became impossible to ignore. On February 18, 2024, Governor Sanwo-Olu visited the site and publicly acknowledged how far it had drifted from Lagos’ mega-city vision. He observed that the declining state of the underbridge was affecting security, public health, ease of movement and overall liveability, particularly given Obalende’s proximity to some of Lagos’ most strategic business districts.

With construction set to begin, the Obalende underpass is now positioned as a test case for how public-private partnerships can reclaim neglected urban spaces and restore order to critical transport corridors in Africa’s largest city.

Meiza Nigeria