Residents of Ago-Okota and Jakande Estate in Lagos now pay tolls to cross a privately constructed bridge linking the two communities. Pedestrians pay N50 per crossing, motorcycle operators N100, private car owners N200 and tricycles carrying goods as much as N500.
The toll is collected at the bridge constructed in 2013 by the late Fredrick Fasheun, founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, as a private intervention to ease transportation between Ago-Okota and Jakande Estate, which were previously separated by the Okota Canal. Before the construction, residents depended on a fragile wooden bridge to cross the canal, while motorists were forced to rely on the congested Ikotun-Isolo Road, which serves about 20 communities in that part of Lagos State.
“Pedestrians pay N50 per crossing, okada riders pay N100, private cars pay N200 and load-carrying keke NAPEP pay N500,” said foodstuffs vendor Ezedike Eucharia, who operates near the bridge, according to a report released by FIJ.
Cost recovery and environmental challenges
Fasheun reportedly invested N40 million in the project, introducing toll collection after its completion to recover the construction cost. The intervention was welcomed by residents who had endured the risks and inconvenience associated with the former wooden crossing.
However, a recent visit to the bridge revealed growing environmental concerns, including accumulated solid waste, thick vegetation and heavily polluted water around the canal. This has raised questions about the maintenance of the infrastructure and the government’s role in managing the surrounding environment.
Toll collector Saheed Oyekunle Are said certain categories of people are exempted from payment.
“We exempt students, pregnant women in distress, sick people and emergency workers from toll payments, people with disabilities, government workers and corps members,” Are said.
The exemptions were also evident during the visit, as schoolchildren were observed crossing the bridge without paying.
Canal pollution and infrastructure concerns
Beyond the toll collection, the condition of the canal has become a major concern. Thick green vegetation covers large portions of the waterway, while solid waste has accumulated beneath the bridge and around adjoining sections of the canal. The water appeared dark and heavily polluted, with an offensive odour forcing pedestrians to cover their noses while crossing.
Waste depots operated by scavengers were also observed along the canal, while a tributary connecting Owolabi Street to the main waterway was partly obstructed by refuse. Are attributed the worsening condition of the canal partly to the withdrawal of government intervention, saying those managing the bridge had taken on some cleaning responsibilities but lacked the equipment to evacuate the accumulated sludge.
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“Government used to clear the canal and take the sludge away. But they stopped at some point and we started clearing it. We don’t have the capacity to take the sludge away, so we would leave it at the river banks. In a short time, it would be washed back into the river by rain,” he said, adding that Lagos State environmental enforcement officers visited the area in 2025 and promised to return to address the situation. “So last year (2025), state environmental enforcement officers came for an inspection and promised to come back to clear it. We haven’t seen them again,” Are said.
Sustainability of private infrastructure
According to FIJ, the condition of the canal has also raised concerns about the structural integrity of the bridge, particularly the pillars supporting the infrastructure. Some metal structures around the facility appeared rusted during the visit, with one seemingly severed and another visibly leaning. Residents had previously expressed concerns over the accumulation of waste around the Oke-Afa Canal and its possible implications for the bridge’s supporting structures.
Are, however, dismissed fears about the main bridge pillars, insisting that they remained in good condition and that water was flowing freely through the canal. The bridge remains an important transportation link for residents and businesses in the adjoining communities. Commercial motorcycle operators were seen competing for passengers at the bridge’s exit, conveying commuters into surrounding streets, while small businesses around the access points appeared to benefit from the steady movement of people.
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When inaugurated in 2013, the bridge featured solar-powered lighting, but no functioning solar lighting was observed during the recent visit. Fasheun had described the project as a personal intervention driven by his desire to contribute to national development. Thirteen years after its construction, the bridge continues to provide an important alternative route for residents, but its environmental condition raises questions about the sustainability of privately funded infrastructure and the responsibilities of government agencies in maintaining adjoining public waterways.
For residents who depend on the bridge daily and continue to pay tolls for access, the immediate concern is not just the cost of crossing but whether the infrastructure and its surrounding environment will receive the attention needed to keep them safe and functional.
Athekame Kenneth is a politics, economy, and finance reporter whose work is anchored in sharp investigative storytelling. He brings analytical depth to every piece, drawing on a strong academic foundation that includes a degree in Economics, an MBA in International Trade, and a minor in Petroleum Economics from Lagos State University, Ojo. His reporting blends rigorous research with a keen eye for hidden truths, delivering stories that illuminate power, policy, and the forces shaping everyday lives.
