British-Nigerian boxer. Anthony Joshua was involved in a serious road traffic accident on Monday on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria’s most important inter-city highway, which claimed the lives of two occupants of the vehicle and left the former world heavyweight champion with minor injuries, according to road safety officials.
The crash occurred near Makun in Ogun State when a Lexus SUV carrying four men collided with a stationary truck along the busy stretch of the expressway. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said preliminary investigations pointed to excessive speed and an unsafe overtaking manoeuvre as the likely causes of the accident.
Mr. Joshua was taken to hospital in stable condition and later discharged, while two others were confirmed dead at the scene.
The incident came less than two weeks after Mr. Joshua’s latest professional bout, a high-profile heavyweight contest against American influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami on 19 December. Mr. Joshua won the fight by a sixth-round knockout, returning to winning form in what was one of the most commercially lucrative boxing events of the year.
Industry estimates suggest the bout generated an exceptionally large purse. Multiple reports put Joshua’s earnings from the fight at approximately US$90–95 million, before tax and promotional deductions, reflecting a revenue-sharing model linked to global streaming rights. While final take-home figures remain undisclosed, the contest reinforced Joshua’s status as one of the sport’s most bankable figures despite recent setbacks in the ring.
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Since turning professional in 2013, Joshua has accumulated career fight earnings estimated at well over US$275 million, placing him among the highest-earning boxers of his era. His most lucrative bouts include world title fights against Wladimir Klitschko, Andy Ruiz Jr and Oleksandr Usyk, alongside significant endorsement income from global brands. Net worth estimates vary, but analysts generally place his personal wealth in the range of US$150–200 million, after accounting for taxes, management fees and investments.
Joshua was reportedly in Nigeria on a private visit at the time of the accident. Born in the United Kingdom to Nigerian parents, he maintains close personal and cultural ties to the country and is a frequent visitor.
A vital but dangerous transport corridor
The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, where the crash occurred, is a 127.6-kilometre highway linking Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, with Ibadan, one of the country’s largest inland cities. Commissioned in 1978, it is Nigeria’s oldest expressway and its most heavily trafficked, carrying hundreds of thousands of vehicles daily, including commercial trucks transporting goods from Lagos ports to the rest of the country.
Economically, the road is indispensable. It serves as the primary artery connecting Lagos to the south-west and onward to northern and eastern trade routes, making it central to Nigeria’s supply chains, manufacturing distribution and food logistics. Any disruption along the corridor has immediate implications for transport costs and delivery times nationwide.
Yet the expressway has also acquired a reputation for frequent accidents, attributed to traffic congestion, speeding, heavy-duty vehicles, incomplete road works and poor driver behaviour. These risks have persisted despite repeated rehabilitation efforts.
A major reconstruction and expansion project was launched in 2013, with contracts awarded to construction firms including Julius Berger Nigeria. The original cost was estimated at about ₦167 billion (US$115.2 million), but delays, variations and inflation have significantly increased expenditure. By some official and parliamentary estimates, more than ₦300 billion (US$206.9 million) has been spent over the past decade, with sections of the road still under construction or requiring additional works.
In late 2025, the Federal Executive Council approved a further ₦43 billion (US$29.7 million) to complete remaining sections, including interchanges, underpasses and concrete pavements, underlining the government’s continuing struggle to bring the project to full completion.
Renewed scrutiny
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The involvement of a globally recognised sports figure has once again focused attention on the safety challenges of Nigeria’s road network, particularly on high-volume corridors such as the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. The FRSC has reiterated calls for stricter enforcement of speed limits and safer driving practices, warning that infrastructure upgrades alone will not reduce fatalities without behavioural change.
