Sanwo-Olu’s Lagos: 10 problems still casting a shadow over eight years of projects

When Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu leaves office on May 29, 2027, after eight years leading Lagos State, he will have an impressive list of projects to showcase.

His administration will point to hundreds of reconstructed roads and bridges, including the Pen Cinema Flyover and Opebi-Mende/Ojota Link Bridge, as well as interventions on major expressways. The Blue and Red rail lines, expanded BRT infrastructure, LagRide and improved ferry services will also feature prominently in his scorecard.

Sanwo-Olu is also likely to highlight Lagos’ expanding budget—from about N700 billion in 2019 to more than N4 trillion in 2026—and the state’s growing economic importance. Projects such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Imota Rice Mill and Lekki Free Zone, alongside investments in housing, schools, LASU and healthcare, further strengthen his development narrative.

Yet, beyond the ribbon-cuttings and official statistics is another Lagos—the Lagos experienced daily by millions of residents.

It is the Lagos of commuters trapped in traffic, families battling floods, tenants struggling with rent and households buying water from tankers. It is the Lagos of refuse-strewn streets, unsafe buildings and recurring government enforcement exercises.

These problems did not begin with Sanwo-Olu. Many predate his administration and are complicated by population growth, climate change, poverty and federal infrastructure. But after seven years in office, Lagosians are entitled to ask not only what has been built, but what has actually been fixed.

1. Traffic: Still a Daily Nightmare

The Blue Line and Red Line represent major progress in mass transportation, but millions of Lagos commuters still spend hours on the road.

A short journey can become a marathon when accidents, roadworks or rainfall strike. While federal roads and port operations contribute to the problem, Lagos controls significant aspects of traffic management, public transport and urban planning.

The question is no longer whether infrastructure has been built, but whether the average commuter is spending substantially less time travelling. For many, the answer remains no.

2. Flooding: The Rainy-Season Fear

Lagos cannot stop the rain, but persistent flooding continues to expose weaknesses in drainage and urban planning.

The state has invested in drainage and flood-control projects, yet heavy rainfall still leaves roads submerged, businesses disrupted and homes threatened. Residents ultimately judge flood management by what happens when the rain falls—not by kilometres of drainage constructed.

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3. Waste: The Unfinished Environmental Battle

With Lagos generating more than 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, waste management is a huge challenge.

Despite investments in trucks, bins, recycling and enforcement, refuse remains visible in many communities. Repeated crackdowns suggest that the system has yet to become sufficiently predictable and self-sustaining.

4. Housing: Quantity Versus Affordability

The administration says it has delivered more than 10,000 housing units and is targeting more than 14,000.

But Lagos’ housing crisis is too large to be measured simply by units constructed. For many workers, decent accommodation remains unaffordable, particularly when transport costs are added.

The real question is whether ordinary Lagosians can afford the homes being provided.

5. Water: A Coastal State Still Thirsty

Despite its abundant water resources, Lagos continues to struggle with reliable public water supply.

Projects such as Adiyan Phase II and the rehabilitation of waterworks offer hope, but many households remain dependent on boreholes, vendors and tankers. For poor families, buying water is another financial burden.

6. Building Collapse: Prevention Remains the Challenge

Building collapses continue to raise questions about enforcement.

Authorities may identify distressed structures, seal buildings and issue warnings, but the crucial issue is what happens afterwards. A truly effective system must ensure dangerous buildings are evacuated and made safe before tragedy occurs.

Emergency rescue cannot substitute for prevention.

7. Slums and Informal Settlements

Lagos is expanding rapidly, but infrastructure has not always kept pace.

Informal settlements continue to grow where roads, sanitation, drainage and water are inadequate. Demolition without affordable alternatives may remove structures without solving the underlying housing problem.

A sustainable solution requires planning, affordable housing and infrastructure alongside enforcement.

8. Street Touting and Informal Extortion

The familiar demand—“Oga, give me something”—remains part of life for many motorists, traders and transport users.

Crackdowns have repeatedly been conducted, yet the practice returns. Tackling it requires more than arrests; it requires sustained enforcement, proper regulation and economic alternatives for those dependent on informal networks.

9. Bad Roads and Weak Maintenance

Lagos has built and rehabilitated numerous roads, but potholes and deteriorating inner roads remain widespread.

Poor maintenance worsens congestion, damages vehicles and compounds flooding. The test of road infrastructure is therefore not only construction, but how effectively roads are maintained afterwards.

10. The Gap Between Lagos’ Image and Reality

Perhaps the biggest challenge is the growing distance between Lagos’ global image and the daily experience of its residents.

The state can boast modern rail lines while commuters remain stuck in traffic; build housing while rents soar; invest in water while residents buy from vendors; and clear drains while communities continue to flood.

That is the central contradiction of the Sanwo-Olu years.

Lagos has undoubtedly built. But has it been solved?

His legacy will not be measured only by bridges, rail stations, hospitals, schools and housing estates commissioned before May 2027.

It will also be judged by the problems inherited by his administration that remain unresolved.

Ultimately, governance is measured not merely by what appears on project lists, but by the quality of everyday life—how long people spend commuting, whether their homes are safe, whether streets are clean, whether water flows and whether families can afford to live decently.