It’s no news that Africa’s most populous city recently put a ban on commercial motorcycles and tricycles in it’s major municipals. The ban also affects bike-hailing startups Max.Ng, ORide, Gokada and others who collectively manage over 14,000 riders spread across the city, easing the struggles of Lagos’ infrastructural crisis and heavy traffic – a toxic trait the metropolis is notoriously famous for.
Bad roads, trading activities, on street parking, poor drainage, narrow road sections, religious activities, menace of area boys and unscrupulous police men, lack of traffic light at major intersections, bad attitude of many Lagos drivers and over dependence on road transportation are some of the reasons why traffic congestion will remain a constant feature of Lagos. For a city with vast aquatic splendour, another option could be the use of waterways, but the government isn’t doing much to convince Lagosians that it’s a viable option. All of the attempts to encourage use of boat-taxis have proven abortive, including the partnership with Gokada and Uber.
Moving in Lagos
Lagos opened the first ever Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system on the African continent in 2008. Today, the system boasts two different lines which cover over 35.5 km of track and transport over 350,000 commuters on a daily basis. There are also 75000 private owned minibuses (Danfo) and more motorcycles, tricycles and taxis all over the metropolis, but it still doesn’t solve the mobility constraints for a city with 21 million residents. The danger lies in the fact that all of the overwhelming Lagos life doesn’t stop the influx of local and foreign visitors into this ‘mega city‘ that its government wants it to be so bad. Hence, in the absence of sufficient cars and buses, Okadas remain the most practical and easily accessible means of transportation which a large percentage of the populace rely on.
To put it in better context, Lagos commuters do spend close to one fourth of their whole day in traffic.
In 2012, Babatunde Fashola, a former governor of Lagos put a ban on commercial motorcyclists from major roads and highways in the state but law enforcement agencies slowed down on implementation before the end of his tenure in 2015. Akinwunmi Ambode, his successor, also laid emphasis on the ban in 2017 and as expected, the law was relaxed and their activities continued state-wide. Thanks to the presence of ride sharing apps like Uber and Taxify, Lagosians who couldn’t afford the rates fell back on tricycles ‘Keke Napep‘ and okadas plying mini roads. The comeback of motorcycles to the highway started with the establishment of more delivery companies and then the entry of Max.Ng, Gokada, Oride, Safeboda, providing better bikes and safety options for users. The astronomical rate of unemployment in the nation has also led many young people to embrace riding of okada and other for a living.
OKADA WARS: THE RISE OF THE SUPER APPS
A WANNABE ‘MEGA CITY’
Not only are the new okadas relatively affordable, it’s the only option for many residents travelling long distances, trying to beat traffic and they are more convenient than the city’s popular yellow buses Danfo. Millions of rides after and over $200 million dollars worth of investment in these mobility startups, the state government came to a conclusion that it didn’t see motorcycles and trickles in its mega city blueprint so it enforced a tougher ban affecting all types of 2 or 3 three wheeled transport businesses. It didn’t matter the how you commute, whether in a staff bus, or personal cars or the state-run transport system, it just turned out to be a troubling development for people who have had to put up with the torture of living in Lagos.
Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi believes the ban will spike an increase in the rate of unemployment and insecurity.
Since the weekend, February 1 when the ban took effect, Lagosians have rallied online amass to protest the consequences of the unwarranted ban and the hardship they are prone to suffer. Motorcyclists have also come out in troops with the hopes that the government hear their outcry and reverse the decision. There’s also reportage of protests, violence and vandalisation of buses in different parts of the state, but security officials. But Lagos Government says it has alternatives which includes a fleet of 65 buses (550 to come) and 14 new ferries to be commissioned.
Regulators say they are already reaching out to the government to create a regulatory framework as an alternative, but it’s uncertain what the future of commuting will be for Lagos residents. Some experts believe Lagos’ transportation problem is bigger than the government, and an outright ban isn’t the best approach.
