Lagos Reaffirms Ban On Unregulated Commercial Bus Operations

Amidst speculation about the government’s intention to suspend the plans, the State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, clarified in a media briefing on Sunday that the move aligns with the Lagos State Strategic Transportation Master Plan.

They urged Public Transport Bus Operators, including Korope/Danfo bus drivers, to collaborate with the government as it releases restructuring plans aimed at enhancing the commuting experience.

Giwa noted that a stakeholders’ meeting had previously been held with bus operators and union leaders in the state, stressing the importance of compliance. The government’s stance is firm: there is no going back on the planned enforcement.

This development aims to streamline transportation in Lagos, promoting a safer, more efficient, and organized system. As the deadline approaches, all stakeholders are encouraged to cooperate with the government to ensure a seamless transition.”

Giwa described the current state of bus operations on the corridor as chaotic hence, the need for collaboration to successfully regulate and integrate the informal transport sector into the State’s Bus Reform Initiative using the Lekki/Epe corridor as a pilot test.

He further explained that the Lekki-Epe Corridor had been inspected by the Ministry of Transportation and the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) to identify limitations to seamless traffic flow along the expressway and adjoining roads. They have mapped out a systematic framework to address possible challenges.

Some of the planned solutions, according to Giwa, include restructuring the existing unregulated public transport bus operations on the Lekki-Epe Corridor, deploying high-capacity buses on the corridor as stated in the Lagos Transport Policy and the Bus Route Network, reallocating and relocating Korope/minibuses to inner routes, and re-registering and recertifying all buses.