BRT Regulator, LAMATA insist commuters can only access regulated transport services in Lagos with Cowry Card

Beginning from Monday, February 1, 2021, fare collection on bus services offered by Primero Transport Services Limited, operator of the Ikorodu to TBS Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), will be through the use of the Lagos State Travel card known as Cowry Card.

The Cowry Card is currently in use on the Oshodi to Abule Egba BRT system.

Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, who gave the directive said the use of the card will henceforth be the only mode of fare payment and administration of regulated transport services in the state.

She explained that following the launch of the expanded e-ticketing system by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in August 2020, the use of the card had become imperative in order to reduce cash transactions in transport operation in order to protect stakeholders’ investment in the transport sector.

LAMATA is the regulator of all regulated transport operators in the state. They include Primero Transport Services Limited, Lagos Bus Services Limited, Amalgamated Transport Services Limited, TJ Motors and TSL.

A novel community bus scheme, First Mile and Last Mile (FMLM) Scheme, is soon to be launched as feeder system to transport services on the main transport corridors.

According to Engr. Akinajo, the services of FMLM would also run using the Cowry card.

She enjoined commuters to embrace the use of the Cowry card which would soon be extended to other transport services such as water and rail transportation in 2022 to ease access to transport services in the state.