Lagos govt to push ahead with Lekki-Epe bus reform despite operator protests
The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Bus Reform Initiative along the Lekki-Epe corridor, despite korope operators blocking the expressway for three consecutive days. Sola Giwa,
The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Bus Reform Initiative along the Lekki-Epe corridor, despite korope operators blocking the expressway for three consecutive days.
Sola Giwa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, made the assurance during a sensitisation meeting with residents under the Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association. He told community leaders that the government would not abandon a policy designed to restore order, enhance safety, and restructure commercial transport along one of the state’s fastest-growing corridors.
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Giwa explained that the corridor was selected for the pilot phase due to rapid urban expansion and rising disorder caused by unregulated operators. He emphasized that Lagos, as a megacity, requires safe, secure, and organised transport for its residents.
The adviser said operators had been repeatedly engaged, urged to form cooperatives or small companies for proper regulation, and trained, profiled, and captured biometrically to curb crime. Under the government’s last-mile–first-mile policy, korope and tricycle operators will no longer be allowed on the expressway, which is now restricted to higher-capacity buses.
Condemning the recent blockade, Giwa stressed that security agencies had to intervene to protect stranded residents. He added that the government’s focus is on public safety, not punishing operators.
“We will continue with full implementation. It is tough love, but it is for the greatest good. The Governor has directed us to make life easier for residents and ensure they enjoy the dividends of democracy,” he said.
