Following Lagos at the top, San Jose, Costa Rica, ranked 2nd, with a traffic index of 327.8 and an average one-way commute of 63.3 minutes.
Lagos has been ranked the world’s most congested city in the 2025 Mid-Year Traffic Index released by City Report, surpassing notorious traffic-heavy cities such as Los Angeles, Delhi, and San Jose.
According to Numbeo, Lagos recorded a traffic index of 365.9, with commuters spending an average of 70 minutes on a one-way trip. The city also posted the highest inefficiency index among the top ten at 491.7 and a CO₂ emission index of 9,330.8 grams per commuter per round trip.
San Jose, Costa Rica, ranked second with a traffic index of 327.8, followed by Los Angeles in third at 312.5. Sharjah, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Kolkata, Guatemala City, and Mexico City completed the top ten.
The Lagos State government has promoted rail and water transport as alternatives. The Blue Line metro, launched in 2023, has moved over 5 million passengers, while the Red Line began partial operations in 2024, with expansions underway.