Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, has been ranked the world’s most congested city in Numbeo’s 2025 Mid-Year Traffic Index, surpassing notorious traffic-heavy cities like Los Angeles, Delhi, and San Jose, as confirmed by Numbeo’s official data on August 16, 2025. With a traffic index of 365.9, commuters in Lagos face an average one-way travel time of 70 minutes, driven by overpopulation, inadequate road networks, and heavy reliance on private vehicles. The city’s inefficiency index of 491.7, the highest among the top ten, and a CO₂ emission index of 9,330.8 grams per round trip highlight severe mobility and environmental challenges.
The ranking, derived from user-contributed data, places Lagos ahead of San Jose (327.8, 63.3 minutes) and Los Angeles (312.5, 56.8 minutes), with factors like commuter dissatisfaction and system inefficiencies contributing to its position. The Lagos State government has introduced measures like the Blue Line metro, operational since September 2023, and plans to expand the Red Line, but challenges persist due to rapid urbanization.
