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Saboteurs Responsible for Apapa Gridlock—Opeifa
By Adedapo Adesanya
There are strong indications that the gridlock being experienced in the Apapa axis of Lagos State will not see any improvement this year.
This is because the Presidential Task Team (PTT) on the Restoration of Law and Order has faulted stakeholders for sabotaging its efforts.
The Vice-Chairman of PTT, Mr Kayode Opeifa, declared recently that his team has no control over the delay in transit ranging from three to six weeks for trucks to reach the ports from Mile-2, a distance of about 10 kilometres.
Mr Opeifa, during a media tour of the Apapa port environment, said the inefficiency and lack of proper coordination among stakeholders were the major issues affecting port and traffic in Apapa and its environ.
“There is no problem on this axis of Apapa, what we have are issues. Some of the issues are that the construction is ongoing but a lot of transporters don’t have the information which their agencies, authorities owe them. They need to inform their clients and find a way to inform the public.
‘‘This is because a lot of people are taking advantage of the happenings to extort their principals, drivers exploiting the managers, managers exploiting the shippers, shippers exploiting me and you.
“So, there is a need for information for the public to understand what’s going on here. Then the stakeholders should take ownership of the place.
“Terminal operators should be interested in how people access their terminals and not just attending to whoever they see.
“Transporter should be interested in the welfare of the drivers.
‘‘The port management needs to be concerned with all the issues because somebody needs to tell them when the road will be closed and when they need to come, our job in PTT is to maintain the law and order by ensuring that only those who are asked to come are allowed to move on the road.
“Unfortunately, we are at the receiving ends; everyone thinks we are the one deciding. No, we are not, we only carry out order restoration based on the directives of the operation of the port. But when that operation of the port has efficiency issue, it is a problem to the entire system.
“The contractor needs to gain access to certain places to do its work, the earlier the contractor gains access to where he needs to work, the better for the operation of the port. These are the issues.
‘‘However, the ports must keep working too. We need the port managers to be more responsive in the overall scheme of things.
‘‘We believe in few months’ time the Apapa area will take better shape for movements and port activities, much more orderliness would be restored.’’
Speaking on the transit park for trucks, Mr Opeifa stated, “Regardless of restriction from the construction site, from Mile 2 to major parts along the corridor, you can see you no longer see trucks from Mile 2 to Oshodi, and once the truck moves inside here, (Berger, Coconut area), they feel more relaxed in the port corridor.
“We have no control over how many hours they will spend before getting into the port which depends on port operations. If not for the construction work going on, the movement into the port should be faster. Many of the trucks you see don’t have any business at the port and if you ask them, they don’t even know they are not supposed to be on the road.
“We were sent by the Presidency to restore law and order and we have honestly, achieved that to a large extent. What I’d needed at the ports now is the efficiency in all operations and there is a need for a proper definition of those who supposed to be at the port and not.
“Most of the issues around here comes from one or two terminals out of 15 terminals. So those who are charged with the responsibility of regulating the port should be at their best efficiency,” Mr Opeifa said.
Giving input on the construction timeline, the PTT Vice Chairman noted that the contractor has done a fantastic work so far with the target to complete work between November and December 2020.
He explained, “Our job is to work pending the introduction of electronic call-up system, earlier scheduled to commence on August 1, 2019, but a year after, we are not there yet.
“We believe by the time the road is completed and electronic call-up system commences, in December 2020, 80 per cent of restoration of order would have been achieved and we will see less of human disorderliness. Digitalization will replace operations and we have to deal with fewer issues.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Mobility fintech, Moove, has raised $250 million in a Series C round, valuing the company at $2.1 billion, finally attaining a long-pursued unicorn status.
The round was led by Mubadala Investment Company and co-led by Woven Capital, Toyota’s growth fund, and Ion Pacific. New backers BlueCrest Capital Management, Sona Asset Management and The Raptor Group also joined, alongside existing investors BlackRock, MUFG, Franklin Templeton, Uber and others.
The funding will help Moove expand its autonomous vehicle business by investing in fleet ownership and its robotics-powered depots, known as “Nests,” where autonomous vehicles are charged, maintained, serviced and managed for continuous operation.
Through its partnership with Waymo, Moove is already a leading third-party autonomous fleet operator, with operations live in Phoenix and Miami, and future operations in London.
The capital will also support the company’s expansion into new global markets. As part of the growth plan, Moove expects to increase its autonomous vehicle workforce by more than 220 per cent by the end of the year, growing from about 150 employees to around 500.
Moove said scaling autonomous mobility requires more than just self-driving vehicles. It also needs investment in fleets, charging infrastructure, maintenance facilities and operational systems. The company is building this supporting infrastructure to make autonomous transport reliable and scalable across cities.
Moove started in Africa in 2020 by financing cars for drivers working on ride-hailing platforms. It later entered the UAE, India, the US and the UK. The company also works with Uber, which joined a $100 million funding round in 2024 that valued Moove at $750 million. The new valuation is 2.8 times that level.
Speaking on the deal, the co-chief executive and Advisory Board Chairman of Moove, Mr Ladi Delano, said, “Every major technology revolution becomes an infrastructure race. The internet required data centres. AI required compute. Autonomy requires fleets, charging, maintenance, data systems and 24/7 operations in every city – and that is what Moove is building. In our view, as autonomy scales, infrastructure ownership and operations will define the category leaders. We are building to be one of them.”
On his part, Mr Ali Eid AlMheiri, Executive Director of Diversified Assets, UAE Investments Platform at Mubadala, said: “As autonomous mobility moves from innovation to scaled deployment, the infrastructure supporting it becomes increasingly important. Moove is building an integrated operating platform that combines fleet ownership, operational capability, and technology to support the next phase of growth in autonomous mobility. This is particularly important for the UAE.”
Adding her input, Ms Betty Lee, Principal at Woven Capital (Toyota’s Growth Fund), said, “Moove has demonstrated an exceptional ability to execute across markets, building a global platform across traditional and autonomous vehicle fleets. The next wave of mobility is an infrastructure problem as much as a software one, and Moove is building the foundational layer to solve it.”
For Mr Michael Joseph, co-CEO & Co-Founder of Ion Pacific Limited, said: “We’ve partnered with the Moove team for more than five years, and their execution has consistently impressed us. As autonomous mobility moves from possibility to reality, Moove is building a critical infrastructure layer for the sector – one that is complex, adaptive and essential to scaling AVs. We’re excited to be part of that journey.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The corporate mobility solution from Bolt, Bolt Business, has expressed its desire to strengthen relationships with existing customers in Nigeria by introducing solutions tailored to industries with frequent employee mobility needs, including healthcare, financial services, legal services and logistics.
This is as the organisation, over the past 12 months, delivered double-digit growth in the country, driven by expanding adoption across multiple industries, growing demand from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and an increasing number of firms seeking cost-efficient alternatives to managing in-house transport fleets.
The Country Manager for Bolt for Business Nigeria, Mr Isaac Iroko, disclosed that the smarter mobility solutions being planned will improve visibility, simplify expense management and support business growth.
“Our focus remains on building products that create value for organisations of every size while delivering a seamless experience for their employees,” he stated.
Bolt Business has continued to experience an increasing demand from businesses seeking smarter, more efficient ways to manage employee transportation and business travel.
It serves organisations across a broad range of industries, including financial services, technology, healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, logistics, media, real estate and fast-growing consumer businesses.
The growth reflects a broader shift in how Nigerian businesses approach corporate mobility. Rather than maintaining expensive vehicle fleets or relying on fragmented transport arrangements, more organisations are adopting digital mobility platforms that offer greater transparency, control and operational efficiency.
“Businesses today are looking beyond transportation; they’re looking for smarter ways to optimise operations and manage costs.
“We’ve seen organisations across different sectors embrace Bolt Business because it gives them a simple, reliable and transparent way to manage employee travel, whether it’s daily commutes, client meetings or business trips.
“This growth demonstrates that corporate mobility is becoming an increasingly important part of business efficiency in Nigeria,” Mr Iroko stated.
Unlike traditional fleet management, Bolt Business enables companies to centralise transportation through a single platform, providing features such as centralised billing, trip reporting, spending controls and real-time visibility into employee travel. These capabilities help businesses improve oversight while reducing the administrative burden associated with corporate transportation.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To boost economic activities in Lagos Island and support residents, the chief executive of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Mr Bashir Are, sponsored the training of eight persons at the LagRide Drivers Academy through the LagRide Partner Programme.
Mr Are funded both the academy training and the vehicle costs, removing the two barriers that most frequently prevent qualified drivers from entering formal, structured employment in the mobility sector.
The beneficiaries were handed over keys to their vehicles at a ceremony in Lagos on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
They now operate a LagRide vehicle under the platform’s Drive To Own programme, which allows a Captain to earn daily income while working towards full ownership of the vehicle at the end of the agreed payment term.
“The initial capital required to be onboarded was never going to come from these young men, so we provided that intervention financially so that they can have good employment.
“Lagos is a megacity. My agency runs the largest gaming and fintech conference on the continent every year, and when those delegates arrive, we do not want them driven around in poor vehicles. This is also employment for our own people, and we have a great deal of unemployment and underemployment in this country.
“These Captains are from Lagos Island Local Government, and they can now take care of their own families. Let me be clear about one thing. This is not a project. It is a programme, and it continues,” Mr Are stated.
Also speaking, the chairman of LagRide, Ms Diana Chen, said, “Today is just a new beginning, and more and more people will come. More local governments will join us, and one day we want to bring the Governor here so that this programme runs across the state.
“LagRide is a platform where a person comes to take a job and ends up owning the vehicle. It is also a platform that any government, or any organisation with a social development or CSR mandate, can use to empower the people they want to support. The people get their own asset at the end of it.”
On her part, the lawmaker representing Lagos Island Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs Omolara Oyekan-Olumegbon, said, “Everyone keeps saying there are not enough jobs for our youths. This is our own way of ensuring that they are empowered.
“When you give a person money, it is money, and it finishes. This is the difference between giving a man a fish and teaching him how to fish. You are giving these young men something they can use to take care of themselves, their families and their homes.
“We must thank the chief executive of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority for doing this, and I must also thank Chief Diana Chen. Lagos Island is a commercial hub, and we intend to keep the flag flying. This is the beginning, and we will be coming back to ask for more.”
