The Lagos State ministry of transportation has reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing stakeholder engagement following the commencement of the Bus Reform Initiative (BRI) on the Lekki–Epe Corridor.

The special adviser to the governor on transportation, Sola Giwa, stated this in a statement issued on Monday and signed by Bolanle Ogunlola, director of public affairs in the ministry.

Mr Giwa said the initiative restricting the corridor to medium- and high-capacity buses, while confining minibuses to inner routes, had sparked public debate, including protests by some operators.

He said he led the ministry of transportation, with the Lekki Estate Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), to convene a stakeholders’ meeting to clarify the reform’s objectives and implementation framework.

Explaining further, Mr Giwa said the Bus Reform Initiative was anchored on the Lagos Strategic Transportation Master Plan, which prioritises structured, regulated and sustainable mass transit across road, rail and waterways.

According to him, Lagos State, in spite of its relatively small land mass, remains one of the most densely populated urban centres in Africa, thereby necessitating deliberate and forward-looking transportation planning.

He said the state government’s focus was on transporting people efficiently and in large numbers through a coordinated mass transit system aligned with traffic management and safety objectives.

“Instead of having ten smaller buses operating independently on a route, one large-capacity bus can transport the same number of passengers.

“This translates to fewer vehicles on the road, reduced traffic congestion, lower environmental pollution and improved economic productivity,” he said.

Addressing concerns over regulation, Mr Giwa observed that before the introduction of the BRI, transport operations along the corridor were largely unregulated.

He explained that government intervention became necessary to ensure safety, accountability, data-driven planning and improved service delivery.

He disclosed that before the pilot phase, transport unions and stakeholders were invited to meetings and encouraged to form structured groups for registration, QR codes, data capture, and effective monitoring of operations.

“To date, ten transport groups have successfully registered and are participating in the pilot phase of the initiative,” he said.

Mr Giwa urged other operators yet to formalise their operations to come forward and comply with the registration process, stressing that inclusivity and collaboration remained central to the reform agenda.

He urged residents, transporters, and stakeholders along the Lekki–Epe corridor to embrace the Bus Reform Initiative as a necessary step toward a safer, more efficient, and globally competitive transportation system.

“The ministry reaffirms its commitment to continuous dialogue and constructive engagement as the state advances its transportation transformation agenda,” he said. 

(NAN)