The Lagos State Government (LASG) has issued a two-week registration notice to all public transport drivers (Korope/Danfo bus drivers) as part of its restructuring plans to improve commuting experiences.
During a meeting with bus operators and Union leaders, Sola Giwa, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, stated that this initiative aligns with the Strategic Transportation Master Plan for Lagos State.
Giwa described the current state of bus operations as chaotic, emphasizing the need for collaboration to regulate and integrate the informal transport sector into the State’s Bus Reform Initiative, using the Lekki/Epe corridor as a pilot project.
He explained that the Ministry of Transportation and the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority had inspected the Lekki Epe Corridor to identify traffic flow limitations and had developed a systematic framework to address these challenges.
The planned solutions include restructuring the unregulated public transport bus operations on the Lekki Epe Corridor, deploying high-capacity buses as per the Lagos Transport Policy and the Bus Route Network, reallocating and relocating Korope/Minibuses to inner routes, and re-registering and recertifying all buses.
Other measures include introducing an E-ticketing System, providing transport infrastructure (such as laybys and terminals), regulating and standardizing bus operations, improving transportation services for safety and passenger comfort, and enhancing security along the Lekki-Epe corridor.
Giwa noted that the restructuring plan would be implemented in phases and urged transport operators to register with the Ministry of Transportation within the next two weeks. Registered operators will be assigned routes by the ministry to ensure compliance with the strategy.
He also cautioned that any operator found violating the new regulations would face fines and the potential forfeiture of their vehicles if they fail to comply. He emphasized that the state government would not tolerate deliberate disregard of its existing Transport Sector Reform Law.
Regarding concerns raised by union members, Olawale Musa, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, assured that the state government relies on them to identify unregistered operators along the Lekki-Epe Corridor. He affirmed that the Lekki-Epe expressway would serve as a pilot project for standardizing the transportation system in Lagos.
Earlier in the meeting, Dr. Amure, Head of Bus Services at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), explained that the rapid development of the Lekki/Epe axis was a key factor in the state government’s decision to extend its Bus Reform Initiative to the corridor. This initiative initially began with the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transit in various parts of the state.
The Special Adviser, Honorable Sola Giwa; Permanent Secretary, Olawale Musa; Acting Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Mustapha aka Sego; and Deputy Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Alhaji Taofeek Ajayi, signed a communique at the conclusion of the meeting to express their support for the restructuring initiative.