Ademola Lawrence gives updates on Balogun market fire

The Lagos State Government has announced the diversion of traffic on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway for repair work on the Airport Flyover Bridge by the Federal Ministry of Works from August 9 to October 3, 2021. A statement signed by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, explained that the Oshodi-bound lane would be barred from vehicular movement from midnight on 9th August 2021 and reopened partially on the midnight of 14th August 2021 for the first phase of repairs.⁣

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Thursday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Thursday.⁣⁣ ⁣

Drivers of commercial buses, popularly called ‘Danfo', along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, are protesting over the incessant extortion they face from state officials. They are accusing the men of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) of extortion.

Tunde Onakoya, a former Nigerian chess champion, is teaching children from one of the poorest communities in Lagos how to play the game. It's a way of broadening their horizons and allowing the best players to access scholarships. Every weekend they work on improving their performance, thanks to Onakoya, who himself grew up in a slum. His charity Chess in Slums now wants to expand into other countries in Africa. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24's Camille Nedelec and James Vasina.

Kunle Afolayan's latest production 'Swallow' premiered on the 30th of September ahead of its October 1, 2021, global Netflix premiere. The feature film is based on Sefi Atta's 2010 novel 'Swallow'⁣.⁣ ⁣⁣ Many know Kunle Afolayan as a skilled storyteller who has successfully captured the historical and cultural essence of Nigeria. ‘Swallow’ is no different. His penchant for telling stories that explore the historical and cultural context in Nigeria stems from his love for the culture, a representation of who we are as a country.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Nigeria’s economy has not been all rosy for a few years and people’s purchasing power has taken a massive hit as unemployment rates are spiking. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, plunging the economy into the second recession in less than five years. GuardianTV spoke with these women whose main income comes from driving commercial minibus 'Korope' and tricycle 'Maruwa' through the chaotic road of Lagos, Nigeria to make ends meet.

Street begging is illegal in Lagos and carries a fine of around ₦15,000 and up to three months’ imprisonment. With authorities linking crime to the growing number of beggars, the Lagos state government set up a special team to stop panhandling in Nigeria’s most populous state. But these measures have not deterred beggars from thronging the streets of Lagos.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Tuesday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Tuesday.⁣⁣⁣⁣

Nigerian protesters Legend, Solomon and Samuel were all injured on the night of October 20, 2020 - a night they "can never forget" - when the Nigerian army used live ammunition to disperse a peaceful demonstration at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos. Between anger, deception, and hope, the 'Soro Soke' ('Speak Up' in Yoruba) demonstrators still want their voices to be heard a year later.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Friday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Every day, thousands of people move to the Nigerian city of Lagos. Many of them come from rural areas in the hope of finding work and a better life. But the swelling population is putting the city under intense pressure.