Ajah to VI is a single-road commute. You travel west along the Lekki-Epe Expressway from the Ajah roundabout, past VGC, Chevron, Jakande and Lekki Phase 1, through the Admiralty toll plaza and onto Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue on Victoria Island. Both ends are in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, there is no bridge to cross, and there is no full alternative road, so the journey is entirely at the mercy of traffic on that one expressway. It is heaviest towards VI in the morning and towards Ajah in the evening.
The route, road by road
- Your street to the expressway. “Ajah” is a broad area. Homes on Addo Road, in Badore, along Ogombo Road or behind Abraham Adesanya first have to reach the expressway, and that local leg is often the least predictable part of the trip.
- Ajah roundabout. Traffic from Addo Road, the Abraham Adesanya side and the communities further east all joins the westbound carriageway here. A flyover carries through traffic over the junction, but the bus stops and the market beneath it keep the area slow.
- VGC and Ikota. The expressway runs past Victoria Garden City and the Ikota axis, with estate gates and U-turn points feeding more vehicles in.
- Chevron. The Chevron roundabout area is one of the best-known slow points on the corridor.
- Jakande and Ikate. More roundabouts, more merging traffic from the large estates on both sides of the road.
- Lekki Phase 1 and the Admiralty toll plaza. The last stretch before VI. Traffic from Lekki Phase 1 itself joins here, and drivers heading for Ikoyi peel off to the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge.
- Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue. Beyond the toll plaza the expressway becomes Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, the lagoon-side road of Victoria Island. Ahmadu Bello Way, Adeola Odeku Street and the rest of VI's office streets are reached from it.
If you start east of the roundabout, in Abraham Adesanya or Sangotedo, you add another stretch of the same expressway and have to pass through the Ajah junction before the list above even begins.
The choke points
- Ajah roundabout and the Abraham Adesanya end: where the whole eastern corridor funnels into the westbound lanes.
- Roundabouts and U-turns: Chevron and Jakande in particular, where turning traffic cuts across the main flow.
- The approach to the toll plaza: Lekki Phase 1 traffic and corridor traffic merge.
- The entry to VI: Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue absorbs everything the expressway delivers, and the office streets fill quickly.
- Rain: sections of the corridor and many of the inner roads hold water after heavy rain, which slows the whole line.
Transport options
- Danfo and korope minibuses: the most frequent option. Buses from Ajah run along the expressway towards Lekki, Obalende and CMS; for an office inside VI you usually drop at the Lekki Phase 1 end or on Ozumba Mbadiwe and finish by tricycle, a short bus hop or on foot.
- High-capacity public buses: these run on the corridor as well. The expressway has no dedicated bus lane, so they are a cheaper and calmer seat rather than a quicker one.
- Ride-hailing: widely available at both ends, and most useful outside the peaks. At peak times the cost rises with the time spent in traffic.
- Driving: gives you control of the local leg at the Ajah end, but parking on VI is limited, so confirm what your office provides.
- Staff buses: many VI employers run them along this corridor. If yours does, ask where it picks up before choosing a street.
- Ferry: Badore, at the lagoon end of Addo Road, has a jetty used by the state ferry service and private operators, with routes along the lagoon towards Lagos Island. Services and times change, so check the current timetable, the landing point and the last return boat yourself. The area is described in the Badore area guide.
How peak direction works
The flow is tidal. In the morning the westbound side, towards VI, carries the load, and it builds early because so many residents of the corridor work on the Island. In the evening it reverses, and the eastbound side backs up from the VI exits all the way down the corridor. People who beat it do one of three things: leave home very early, travel after the morning peak on flexible hours, or avoid the daily trip with hybrid working. Anyone commuting against the flow, living nearer VI and working in Ajah or Ibeju-Lekki, has a much easier road.
What it means for where you rent
Every area on this corridor is a trade between rent and the length of expressway you must sit on. Ajah is where the rent drops sharply, and it is also where the commute becomes a serious daily commitment.
- In Ajah, indicative annual rent for a 2-bedroom flat in an open-market block is ₦500,000–₦1,500,000, with premium gated estates asking more.
- On Victoria Island, indicative annual rent for a 2-bedroom flat is ₦3,000,000–₦8,000,000.
The areas in between, such as Chevron and Lekki Phase 1, cost more than Ajah and remove a large part of the road; the comparison at the top end is in Lekki vs Victoria Island. Whichever you choose:
- Choose the street, not the area. A home close to the expressway on the VI side of the Ajah roundabout saves a great deal compared with one deep inside Badore or Ogombo.
- Test the journey at your real departure time, on a working day, in both directions, before you pay.
- Visit after rain and look at the road from the house to the expressway.
- Ask about staff bus pick-up points and where the nearest bus stop is.
To compare what is available, search flats for rent in Ajah and flats for rent on Victoria Island, or see everything in properties in Ajah. The two ends are covered in the Ajah area guide and the Victoria Island area guide. Landlords on the corridor can list a property on Cabans.
Frequently asked questions
What is the route from Ajah to Victoria Island?
The Lekki-Epe Expressway, westbound. From the Ajah roundabout it passes VGC, Ikota, Chevron, Jakande and Lekki Phase 1, goes through the Admiralty toll plaza and becomes Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue on Victoria Island, from where Ahmadu Bello Way, Adeola Odeku Street and the rest of VI are reached.
Is there another road from Ajah to VI apart from the Lekki-Epe Expressway?
Not a complete one. Inner roads and estate links let drivers bypass short stretches of the corridor, but every road journey from Ajah to Victoria Island depends on the Lekki-Epe Expressway for most of its length. That single-road dependence is the main weakness of the commute.
Where are the worst traffic points between Ajah and VI?
The Ajah roundabout and the Abraham Adesanya end, the roundabouts and U-turn points along the expressway such as Chevron and Jakande, the Lekki Phase 1 stretch approaching the Admiralty toll plaza, and the entry to Victoria Island along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue.
Is there a BRT from Ajah to Victoria Island?
High-capacity public buses run along the Lekki-Epe Expressway alongside the yellow danfo minibuses, but the expressway has no separate bus lane, so they sit in the same traffic as everything else. They are cheaper and more comfortable than a danfo rather than faster.
Can I take a ferry from Ajah to the Island?
Badore, at the lagoon end of Addo Road in Ajah, has a ferry jetty used by the state ferry service and private boat operators, with routes along the lagoon towards Lagos Island. Services and times change, so confirm the current routes, the landing point nearest your office and the last return boat before you rely on it.
Is Ajah a good place to live if I work on Victoria Island?
It works for people who can leave early, work flexible or hybrid hours, or have a staff bus, and who value a lower rent and more space. For a fixed nine-to-five on VI every day, the commute is demanding, and areas further west on the same corridor such as Chevron, Jakande and Lekki Phase 1 trade higher rent for a much shorter stretch of expressway.
Related guides
Ajah area guide · Victoria Island area guide · Is Ajah mainland or island? · Abijo to Ajah commute · Relocating to Lagos
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