Key Takeaways
- Stay focused, trust your judgment, and never let pressure push you into the wrong decisions.
- The people you follow matter, so always choose guidance, leaders, and mentors with care.
- Not every battle deserves your energy; wisdom is knowing when to push and when to let things go.
My daughter says I drive like a man. Like, what does that even mean? Do you have any idea what it takes to survive driving in Lagos? Madam, you may want to keep quiet there before I park this car and offload you to find your own way 😒.
Anyway.
As a military kid, I spent my growing-up years in different parts of Nigeria. Even though today my work takes me out of Nigeria frequently, Lagos has been home for most of the last 20 years or so. And if you’ve lived in Lagos, you know it’s not for the faint-hearted. In fact, Fisayo, my best friend from the University of Ibadan undergrad days, opted not to move to Lagos despite her husband working here.
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How To Navigate Your Career, Lagos-Driving Style
Lagos is better experienced than described. The melting pot of cultures, the hustle, the noise, the traffic… and the driving, which honestly deserves its own national award category.
I know grown men and women who flat-out refuse to drive in Lagos; I mean, top executives who have conquered the business world. Because Lagos driving is not just driving. It is survival. Strategy. Psychology. Sometimes prayer. In between dodging potholes, calculating which danfo is about to cut in or where a keke might just appear from, and guessing whether that indicator actually means anything, you start to learn a few things from driving in Lagos.
Interestingly, many of those things translate neatly into career lessons. Here are 7 career lessons straight from navigating the streets of Lagos:
1. Never assume the other person has their act together
In Lagos, indicators lie. Drivers change lanes without warning. Someone can be cruising gently ahead of you and suddenly remember their grandmother lives on the next street.
Same thing at work: never assume everyone around you knows what they’re doing. Titles don’t equal competence. Seniority doesn’t always mean clarity. People are figuring things out on the go, just like you. Give yourself the freedom to ask questions, double-check, clarify, and build your own judgment.
2. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a wrong turn
There’s always that car behind you honking like your father owes them money. Ogbeni, ki lo de gangan? Mr, what exactly is the issue? But if you make a wrong turn just to “please” traffic, you will be the one looking for how to redirect yourself from some mysterious street. God help you if Google Maps chooses that day to have a tantrum and you are running behind schedule for a critical appointment.
Career-wise, pressure is also constant. Between deadlines, bosses, colleagues, and even your own expectations, there will always be things that keep breathing down your neck. However, decisions made in panic rarely end well. Pause. Breathe. Choose a direction you can live with, because you’re the one who will deal with the consequences, not the people shouting from the sidelines.
3. Follow who know road, but choose your “leaders” wisely
One of the greatest driving hacks in Lagos is to drive steadily behind someone who clearly knows the shortcuts. But follow the wrong person, and you may just find yourself in a one-way situation, praying for mercy and your vehicle papers from one traffic official or the other.
At work and in business, mentors matter. Role models matter. The people you pattern your career after can either accelerate your progress or derail you completely. Don’t follow popularity; rather, be intentional about following sense, integrity, and proven results.
4. There’s a time to be aggressive and a time to mellow.
Lagos driving can be a dance of controlled madness. If you’re too gentle, no one will let you into traffic. If you’re too aggressive, you’ll end up fighting someone in Ojota or getting your car damaged by some danfo driver who has nothing to offer you.
Same thing in your career.
Sometimes you need to speak up, push through, ask for that raise, or take that opportunity. And sometimes, the smart move is to relax, observe, and allow things to play out. Skill alone is never enough; you must also learn discretion, timing, and emotional intelligence.
5. Not every battle is worth fighting. Some battles cost too much
You can’t chase every car that annoyed you. You can’t argue with every danfo, keke or dispatch rider. You can’t descend to madness every time someone acts mad.
At work, not every disagreement deserves energy. Not every slight needs a reply. Not every challenge needs confrontation. Sometimes, peace is the real power, and you must learn to choose the battles that are truly worth fighting.
6. Know your route, but stay flexible
Even the most predictable Lagos roads can shock you with an unexpected roadblock, a broken-down trailer, or police checkpoint that appears from thin air. You must always plan for surprises that can spring up at any time.
Same for your career: have a plan, but hold it loosely. Opportunities shift. Industries change. Life happens. Adaptability is one of the most underrated professional skills.
7. Keep your eyes on the road, but also on your mirrors
In Lagos traffic, you must know what’s happening ahead, behind, and beside you, all at the same time. One careless second could land you at the panel beater’s workshop.
Work is like that too. Focus on your goals, yes. But also be aware of office dynamics, team changes, emerging risks, and new opportunities. This might feel like paranoia, but it actually isn’t. Awareness is an important survival skill.
Conclusion
Lagos driving may test your patience and your blood pressure, but it also teaches you a certain sharpness. If you pay attention, the same instincts that keep you alive on the road can help you thrive in your career. It’s about honing your ability to read people, adapt quickly, and move with intentional confidence.