Detty December has turned Lagos into one of the world’s biggest end-of-year party destinations, filling nightclubs, bars, concert venues and streets with blazing lights, music and visitors ready to spend.

But the celebration is also piling pressure on the city’s roads, as major highways such as Third Mainland Bridge and Ozumba Mbadiwe crawl with cars, turning short trips into hours-long ordeals even for early risers.

The yearly rush, which typically runs from December 6 to 31 and sometimes spills into January, draws members of the Nigerian diaspora known as IJGBs or the “I Just Got Backs,” who return home with plans for concerts, beach parties, pop-up markets and weddings happening back to back.

As the crowd grows, Lagosians said traffic gridlock has become the new normal, with some residents spending hours moving between the mainland and the island, while transport costs climb sharply.

Ride-hailing fares have also surged, as demand for Uber and Bolt rides rises at night and after major events. Some residents said the cost of movement now competes with the cost of entry, especially for people trying to attend multiple shows in a week.

A Lagos resident, Ahmed Adebowale, told The Guardian that moving from Oshodi to Iyana-Ipaja on Monday evening took about three hours due to heavy gridlock, with transport fares doubling in the process.

“I was really tired on the bus, and many of us were complaining. There are too many people on the road. This is not only happening on the Island; it is affecting us on the mainland too.”

Beyond transport and gridlock, prices have risen across Lagos during the festive period.

Tourism experts have explained that many diaspora visitors arrive with foreign currency, which, when converted to naira, appears larger. This increased spending power fuels higher prices across entertainment, hospitality and nightlife, turning Detty December from a casual end-of-year celebration into a luxury-driven season.

The price increase is showing up in nightlife spending too, with tables, drinks and food costing more than usual.
In Lekki, Tunde Akinwale said he recently paid ₦205,000 for a bottle of premium whisky that usually sells for ₦170,000, while a plate of grilled fish jumped from ₦15,000 to more than ₦20,000.

The pressure is also being felt by small businesses. A fashion designer said she saved ₦500,000 to buy additional materials for December business, but the price later rose to over ₦600,000 when she got to the market.

While some complain about packed venues and organisers struggling to manage crowds, others say the chaos itself proves Lagos still has pull. Some returnees even describe the season as a reset.

Public relations expert Dr Bolu Folayan described the season as a “cultural turning point”, saying the concert scene stands out for its scale and variety.

According to him, it often feels like watching a different global star every night, adding that the shared excitement and energy around Detty December is difficult to match anywhere else in the world.

Still, the gridlock has renewed calls for stronger transport alternatives.

Residents and commuters are urging improvements in buses, ferries and rail services to ease the strain, especially as the government also seeks to benefit from the season.

The Lagos State government said it generated over $71.6 million from tourism, hospitality and entertainment during the 2024 Detty December season.