Abstract: Increased automobile dependency, rising car ownership rates, uncontrolled population growth and sporadic industrial and commercial development have led to unprecedented levels of traffic congestion in rapidly expanding cities, resulting in devastating socio-economic consequences. Against this backdrop, this study investigates the perceived health effects of traffic congestion among commuters in Ota City, Nigeria, as existing literature lacks a direct focus on this aspect within the African context. Specifically, it examines commuters’ socio-economic status (SES) and travel behavior, evaluates the nature of traffic congestion and its contributing factors in Ota City and assesses the health consequences of congestion on commuters. Employing a cross-sectional research design, the study distributed 400 questionnaires to commuters at major motor parks in the city using systematic sampling. Key findings reveal that a significant proportion of respondents are male, possess formal education, predominantly travel within Ota City and rely mainly on taxis for both intra-city and inter-city commuting. The majority, approximately 80%, experience over 30 minutes of traffic congestion while traveling along major routes, with recurring congestion being predominant (46.2%). Factors such as unregulated loading and unloading, queuing discipline, on-street parking, street vending and road failures are top-ranked primary contributors to congestion. Furthermore, common health implications reported by commuters include backaches, body pain, swollen legs, headaches and fatigue. Regression analysis indicates a significant correlation between the severity of traffic congestion and the health implications experienced by commuters (F12/387 15.727, p=0.000<0.05). The study concludes by recommending effective strategies to mitigate persistent traffic congestion and its associated health effects among commuters in Ota City.