19/09/2025
Ibadan Circular Road Toll Gate: A Call for Fairness for Residents
In Nigeria, tolling systems have become a common means of funding and maintaining key road infrastructures. While the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos and the Ibadan Circular Road in Oyo State both serve crucial transportation routes, the tolling systems in these regions raise concerns about fairness, particularly for residents living along these corridors.
Lekki Toll Gate is a model of privatized urban tolling, probably one of the most prominent tolling points in Lagos State, primarily serving commuters traveling through the Lekki-Epe Expressway . The tolling system here was introduced to fund the development of the Lekki-Epe road network and manage the high traffic flow in the area. The area has experienced rapid urbanization, making the toll gate a necessary mechanism for maintaining infrastructure.
However, the tolls have faced criticism for being high and impacting the daily lives of local residents. Commuters are subjected to daily fees that accumulate over time, potentially increasing the cost of living in the region. While tolling is intended to maintain and improve road infrastructure, the toll burden is felt disproportionately by those who live on the corridor but have no alternative routes.
The Ibadan Circular Road, under construction, promises to provide an important alternative route around the city, easing traffic congestion in the core of Ibadan. The tolling system proposed for this road has sparked debates, especially among residents living in areas directly affected by the circular route. While the road's development is a positive step toward alleviating traffic woes, the implementation of tolls in a city like Ibadan raises questions about equity and fairness.
Residents who live along the circular route would be burdened with additional toll fees, despite contributing to the construction and development of the road through taxes. The key issue here is that the toll could essentially penalize those who have no feasible option to bypass the toll points, further increasing their daily expenses.
The core issue for both the Lekki and Ibadan tolls is the effect on local residents. People living along toll corridors have limited alternative routes and are, therefore, trapped by the tolls. In the case of Lekki, residents face high toll fees that accumulate daily, impacting their ability to manage household expenses, transportation, and other basic necessities. For Ibadan, the introduction of a similar tolling system could lead to the same hardship.There is a moral argument that tolls should not be levied on those who live in close proximity to the infrastructure but have no choice but to use the toll routes. In many cases, these residents have invested in properties that were promised better transportation networks and improved accessibility, not the imposition of additional financial burdens. Moreover, introducing new tolls may negatively impact the livelihoods of those working within these regions, such as traders, drivers, and local service providers, many of whom rely on affordable transportation for their day-to-day activities.
Ahead of the completion of the toll gates , Oyo State authorities should consider implementing exemptions or reduced toll rates for those living in proximity to the toll gates. This could include providing special cards for residents that offer discounted or free right of passage. This would ensure that residents are not disproportionately affected by policies meant to fund and maintain public infrastructure.
The long-term solution should be a comprehensive approach that balances the need for infrastructure development with the realities of urban living. Governments must listen to the concerns of residents and take practical steps to prevent these toll systems from becoming a source of further economic hardship.
In both Lekki and Ibadan, toll systems are crucial for the development and maintenance of urban infrastructure. However, residents living along these corridors should not be subjected to further hardship due to these tolls. A fair and equitable tolling system that considers the specific circumstances of local residents is not only a matter of fairness but also an essential aspect of creating sustainable, livable urban spaces. It is high time that authorities take meaningful action to ensure that the benefits of infrastructure development are shared equally across all stakeholders.
