The Lagos State Government has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria to formally regulate public bus operations and integrate the state’s iconic yellow buses, popularly known as danfo, into a modern and organised transport network.
The agreement, signed on Wednesday under the Lagos State Bus Industry Transition Programme, is expected to reform commercial bus services by improving commuter safety, enhancing service delivery and promoting a more sustainable public transportation system while protecting the interests of existing operators.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr Olawale Musa, described the agreement as “a new beginning for public transport in Lagos State.”
He said the Memorandum of Understanding reflects a collective resolve by the state government and transport unions to transform public transportation across Africa’s largest city.
“This agreement demonstrates the commitment of the Lagos State Government and transport stakeholders to building a safer, more efficient and sustainable public transport system,” Musa said.
He added that the initiative would usher in a transport system where commuting is more organised, predictable and secure.
The Lagos State Bus Industry Transition Programme, being implemented by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), is designed to integrate informal transport operators into a regulated public transport network without displacing those who have sustained the sector for decades.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on behalf of RTEAN by its Lagos State Chairman, Samson Adepeju, and Secretary, Bolaji Kawojue, while the NURTW delegation was led by the state Chairman, Mustapha Adekunle, alongside the union’s Secretary, Usman Teslim.
Representing the Lagos State Government at the signing were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation and the Managing Director of LAMATA, Mrs Abimbola Akinajo.
Under the new arrangement, bus services operating along the state’s eight designated Quality Bus Corridors will gradually migrate to a franchise-based model guided by clearly defined operational standards.
The framework also establishes a cooperative governance structure that will allow the transport unions to oversee the transition of their members into franchise operators.
In addition, fare collection will be digitised to enhance transparency, curb revenue leakages and make payments more convenient for passengers, while LAMATA will continue to supervise bus operations on designated routes.
The programme’s first phase will be implemented across four Quality Bus Corridors currently under construction, namely Iju-Ishaga-Abule Egba, Ketu-Alapere-Akanimodo, Iyana-Iba-Igando-Iyana-Ipaja and Ojuelegba-Lawanson-Cele.
The Managing Director of LAMATA, Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, said the signing of the agreement followed more than two years of consultations, dialogue and confidence-building between the government and transport unions.
She disclosed that discussions leading to the agreement began over 30 months ago through sustained engagement and negotiations aimed at making transport operators active participants in the reform rather than victims of the process.
“This will become a baseline for other cities because it will be a verifiable example of a handshake between government and the unions,” Akinajo said.
She noted that successful implementation of the programme could position Lagos as a global reference point for cities seeking to modernise public transportation while safeguarding the livelihoods of existing operators.
According to her, the reforms are not intended to sideline transport workers or weaken their role in the sector.
She stressed, “Formalization should not be construed as strangulation. When we collaborate, the result will be formidable and capable of being replicated across other parts of Nigeria and in cities around the world that are seeking to formalize their public transport operations.”
