The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to improve road safety and modernise the logistics sector with a high-level Stakeholders’ Engagement involving maritime and road transport operators. The session, held in Ikeja, focused on the theme: “Safety, Sustainability and Stakeholder Partnership.”
Speaking at the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Special Adviser on Transportation, Sola Giwa, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to eliminating rickety trucks, reducing accidents, preventing cargo losses and ensuring smoother traffic flow across the state.
The Governor announced that the state government, in partnership with a financial institution and transport unions, will introduce a flexible loan facility to help truckers acquire brand-new CNG-powered vehicles, aimed at transitioning Lagos into a cleaner and more efficient logistics ecosystem.
Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the engagement underscores the government’s shared commitment to a safer maritime transport environment while prioritising truckers’ welfare and reducing traffic-related incidents.
In his opening remarks, Special Adviser Sola Giwa, represented by Permanent Secretary Olawale Musa, noted that the administration is taking proactive steps to strengthen truckers’ capacity and improve their well-being as part of its wider push for greener, smarter logistics operations.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Yusuf Lawal-Othman, commended the Lagos State Government for the initiative, promising that truckers would fully embrace the CNG trucks and phase out dilapidated vehicles to boost economic productivity.
The representative of the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abubakar Liman Wali, also praised the initiative, noting that improved collaboration will help curb drug and substance abuse within the transport sector.
Meanwhile, participants at the event including various unions, associations and stakeholders benefitted from free eye screening, corrective glasses, substance abuse tests and rehabilitation pathways aimed at enhancing the overall well-being of truck drivers.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Kayode Opeifa, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport and Logistics, Hassan Adekoya, were also in attendance.