Impact of Traffic Congestion on Freight Transport Efficiency in Lagos State

Traffic congestion in Lagos State is a critical challenge to freight transport which results in inefficiencies that increase operational costs. These impacts are explored to inform congestion mitigation strategies in this study. The study was carried out in Lagos State, Nigeria, on road freight transport operators in the region. Thus, this study examines the impact of road traffic congestion on vehicle fuel consumption and maintenance cost. A sample of 353 respondents (management staff and drivers) was randomly selected from selected freight transportation companies from 41 registered haulage companies. Structured questionnaires based on the study objectives and hypotheses were used for data collection. Simple regression analysis was used to analyse the data. Results indicate a strong negative relationship between traffic congestion and cost efficiency, suggesting that delays and higher vehicle wear substantially increase fuel and maintenance costs for freight operations. Freight costs in Lagos State are substantially raised by traffic congestion. These recommendations include traffic flow management, off peak transport incentives and strategic route planning to increase freight transport cost efficiency and sustainability.