Video: Mechanic repairs moving Danfo bus with passengers onboard in Lagos

Abdullateef Fowewe

A video showing a mechanic perched on the front of a moving yellow Danfo bus while repairing its engine has gone viral on social media, drawing attention to the improvised and often hazardous realities of Lagos public transport.

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In the viral clip, a man in a grey shirt sits on the front of the Volkswagen-style minibus with its hood open.

He works on the engine as the vehicle continues along what appears to be an expressway or elevated road.

The driver remains at the wheel, and passengers sit calmly inside.

Danfo buses, the iconic yellow-and-black striped minibuses that dominate Lagos roads have been a fixture of the city’s informal transport system since the 1960s and 1970s.

Originally Volkswagen vans nicknamed “kiakia” (Yoruba for “quick”) because they filled faster than larger buses, they evolved into the ubiquitous Danfo, a name linked to their fast, freewheeling style.

These privately owned vehicles typically carry 14–18 passengers and form the backbone of daily commuting for millions of Lagosians, especially lower- and middle-income residents.

Operators often run on tight margins, leading to frequent breakdowns and a culture of roadside or even on-the-move repairs rather than costly downtime.

While government initiatives, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and the Bus Industry Transition Programme, have long aimed to phase out or upgrade the aging fleet in favor of safer, regulated buses, progress has been gradual.

Danfos persist because of their flexibility, affordability, and deep entrenchment in the city’s economy.

However, similar daring scenes have circulated before, including a 2022 video of a mechanic hanging on a moving Danfo that drew comparisons to Spider-Man.