A road trip through the checkpoints, chaos and congestion along West Africa's coastline

By Emmanuel Akinwotu

Published January 19, 2026 at 5:04 PM EST

The coastal corridor from Lagos to Abidjan is shaping into a West African megalopolis. Starting in Lagos, Nigeria, we navigate the chaos, the checkpoints, and the road that could change it all.

Emmanuel Akinwotu

Emmanuel Akinwotu is an international correspondent for NPR. He joined NPR in 2022 from The Guardian, where he was West Africa correspondent.

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