Lagos, Transport Unions Sign MOU To Launch Bus Industry Transition Programme

The Lagos State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) to officially commence the Bus Industry Transition Programme (BITP), an initiative aimed at modernising public transportation in the state.

The agreement, signed on Wednesday by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and the transport unions, marks a major step in the government’s efforts to reform the state’s public transport system.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olawale Musa, described the BITP as a legacy initiative designed to integrate both the formal and informal transport sectors.

“The Bus Industry Transition Programme is a legacy initiative designed to align both the formal and informal transport sectors. It will transform public commuting in Lagos through a gradual implementation process,” he said.

Musa urged transport unions to actively support the programme, noting that its primary goal is to improve the commuting experience for residents.

“The ultimate objective of the programme is to make daily commuting easier, safer and more efficient for Lagosians,” he added.

Managing Director of LAMATA, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, said the programme would formalise the state’s informal transport sector by bringing traditional transport operators into a structured and regulated system.

“The BITP is aimed at modernising and formalising Lagos’ informal public transport sector by integrating traditional transport operators into a structured and regulated transport system,” Akinajo said.

She called on members of the transport unions to embrace the initiative, saying their participation would help build a more efficient and sustainable transport system across the state.

The Lagos State Chairman of the NURTW, Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle Sego, and the Chairman of RTEAN, Comrade Samson Ajala Adepeju, welcomed the initiative and pledged the full support of their unions.

“We are committed to working with the Lagos State Government to ensure the smooth implementation and success of the Bus Industry Transition Programme,” the union leaders said.