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Abuja Rail 95% Completed, to be Inaugurated in May—Wike
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says the Abuja Rail Mass Transit (ARMT) project is 95 per cent completed and will be ready for inauguration in May 2024.
Mr Wike stated this when the Belgium Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Pieter Leenknegt, visited him in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Minister explained that the feat was part of efforts to improve public transportation in Abuja.
“When we came on board, we found out that the Abuja Light Rail was not functional and we felt that it would be a good thing for the people if we decongest the city by putting it to function.
“So, President Bola Tinubu directed that whatever can be done, should be done, so that in his one year in office, the light rail will come on board for the use of the residents.
“The people can use it going out of the city, going to the airport and other area councils, and instead of going with their vehicles, they can take the train.
“I can announce to you that we are almost there. The company handling the project, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is almost 95 per cent completed.
“By the grace of God, we believe that in May, Mr President will inaugurate it,” the Minister said.
Mr Wike added that discussions were ongoing with private investors to change the mode of public transportation in the FCT.
He acknowledged that the deficit in public transportation constituted a security challenge in the city, adding that most of the operators were not registered.
He expressed concern that most residents did not know the vehicle they were boarding, adding that efforts were ongoing to ensure all public transport operators were registered.
The Minister added that the government had concluded plans to build taxi and bus terminals where residents could patronise registered and identified operators.
Mr Wike further said that the construction of the terminals would commence in the next one month, with the approval of the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The Minister also said that discussion was ongoing with the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and cattle herders on ways to stop open grazing in the city.
He explained that the discussion was to get the herders to understand why they should not rear cattle within the city.
“I can tell you that it is not what we want, but believing that the matter will be resolved and alternative will be provided for the herders to rear their cattle,” he said.
Mr Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, also sought partnership with the Belgian government on security and agriculture.
On his part, the Ambassador said that the visit was to get to know the minister’s plans for mass public transportation, update on the Abuja Light Rail project and the stand on open grazing in the city.
Mr Leenknegt expressed satisfaction with developments in the FCT, particularly the green vegetation and trees as well as less traffic.
He said that the Belgian government was open to partnership in areas of mutual benefit.
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.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A bill aimed at prohibiting hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles in Nigeria has been passed by the Senate.
The bill known as the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, imposes fines between N50,000 and N100,000 for violations if assented to by the President.
The piece of legislation was passed by the red chamber of the National Assembly on Thursday and should later be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Members of the upper chamber of the parliament explained that the law was amended to discourage distractions in commercial vehicles and improve the safety of commuters.
In addition, motorists who fail to cooperate with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) during roadside breath tests conducted on reasonable suspicion are liable to fines or imprisonment or both.
Lawmakers noted that this was to improve compliance with road safety regulations and reduce road crashes, as fines for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating drugs were raised to N100,000 from N5,000, with the risk of spending two years behind bars.
It was also proposed that disobedience to traffic lights, road signs, pavement markings and other traffic control devices will now attract N100,000, while the fine for speed limit violations is now N100,000, with reckless driving now a fine of N100,000 or two years’ imprisonment.
