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Lagos Restricts Inter-State Vehicles to Berger, Ojota Parks
Operators of inter-state buses and vehicles have been directed by the Lagos State government not to go beyond Ojodu Berger and Ojota Motor Parks.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Mr Habib Aruna, disclosed that operators of the inter-state vehicles should stop plying the Ikorodu Road.
In the statement issued on Wednesday, Mr Aruna said the state government has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the operators to relocate to the designated inter-state motor parks at Ojodu Berger and Ojota, after which stiff sanction would apply to defaulters.
Speaking after embarking on a joint inspection tour of ongoing construction of Modern Bus Terminal at Yaba and the beautification project at Jibowu, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, said the decision of the government was in line with the determination of Governor Ambode’s administration to free the city of avoidable nuisances and install sanity and civility in the environment.
He said the inspection was a follow-up to an earlier visit by the Governor to the area, adding that all the necessary quit notices have already been served on the affected operators.
He said, “This is a follow-up on the visit of Governor Ambode to this axis last night and was very displeased with what he saw particularly in the manner with which long buses, inter-state buses are using the main town and what we have done so far is the initial announcement to say that henceforth, we will no longer allow inter-state buses to be along Ikorodu Road.”
“Henceforth, they will have to go to Ojota and Ojodu Berger which are the two designated inter-state motor parks.
“The ones that we have here in Jibowu will have to move and there is a 7-day ultimatum for everyone of them beginning from the ones in this axis to move,” Mr Ayorinde added.
Speaking on the reason for the ban, the Commissioner said activities of the operators had not been tidy and decent despite repeated warnings, and that government could no longer sit and watch such to continue in the overall interest of the people.
He said, “Take for instance, the new Jersey Barricades here are being destroyed and they are built with taxpayers money. Yes, the initial accident was caused by a vehicle but we have seen people showing disrespect to taxpayers’ money and that we can no longer allow.
“We have also see the way vegetal nuisance have taken over everything particularly areas that are being used by the operators of the inter-state buses in spite of the repeated warnings that this is no longer acceptable.
“Sometimes you come here late in the night and you encounter criminal elements and the government is saying we can no longer take this.
“In the overall interest of the public, what is tidy, what is decent and civilized is to move them where they really belong so that we can free the city and you know what we are doing in terms of the overall plans for the city.
“There are major bus terminals springing up. People have seen what we are doing in Yaba which will be ready by December; they have seen what we have done in TBS and Ikeja, which are all part of the overall plan. And part of what the Governor has said is that every area like that, we will add a beautification plan to it.
“So, what we have done is in the best interest of Lagosians, taxpayers and the public.”
He, however, urged affected stakeholders to work with government, assuring that the development would not in any way affect their businesses and livelihood.
Also speaking, the Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, said the ban was part of the plan of the government to properly utilize spaces under flyovers and bridges.
He assured that government had already provided more than enough spaces for the affected operators at Ojodu Berger and Ojota, saying that a stakeholders’ meeting would also be held on this week to discuss and allocate spaces for operators at the said parks.
He said at the expiration of the ultimatum, government would enforce the ban and any operator who flouts the directive would be seriously sanctioned.
On her part, the new General Manager of Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), Bilikisu Adebiyi-Abiola, said government was already working on an intensive design for the beatification project to be sighted within Jibowu and Yaba axis, adding that the project would soon be implemented.
She said the project was part of general Greener Lagos Plan which the present administration had set out to achieve with the taking over and beatification of blighted areas across the state.
“The Greener Lagos Plan is for the benefit of all Lagosians so that our children can use them and it is also important for our health because we are going to introduce greenery, trees and plants that would help the environment,” she said.
She further said areas such as Lagos Island, Mile 2 and Festac were currently being considered for the beatification project in the short time, while there are massive plans to extend the project to all parts of the state.
On the issue of quality assurance, the new LASPARK boss said the agency was already working with contractors and partners to comply with the standards, while also assuring that the agency would enforce compliance with the required standards.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The 2025 edition of the Art of Technology (AOT) Lagos is going to be bigger and better with the inclusion of inDrive as its official sponsor.
The AOT Lagos 7.0, themed Future Technologies and a Sustainable Lagos, is scheduled for Thursday, December 4, 2025, at the Landmark Centre, Lagos.
inDrive, a leading global ride-hailing platform operating in nine African countries, is partnering with the Lagos State government to bring together policymakers, innovators, tech founders, investors, and global industry leaders to shape the future of technology and digital transformation in Lagos.
Through this collaboration, inDrive aims to contribute to high-level conversations on driver empowerment, sustainable transport models, safety, and affordability, key challenges affecting millions of daily commuters and mobility service providers in the state.
According to the Country Representative of inDrive Nigeria, Mr Timothy Oladimeji, the sponsorship underscores the company’s deep commitment to advancing equitable mobility systems and supporting conversations that drive long-term impact across the transportation ecosystem.
He noted that inDrive sees AOT Lagos as a critical platform for addressing mobility challenges and accelerating innovation within the state.
During the event, inDrive will be participating in one of the key sessions, discussing the topic From fuel to future: the rise of e-mobility in Lagos.
Aside from this, inDrive will also be hosting a side workshop themed The Market Share Victory – How inDrive Became Nigeria’s Second-Largest Ride-Hailing Player.
“We are proud to sponsor AOT Lagos 7.0 because it aligns perfectly with our vision to democratise mobility and ensure fairness for both drivers and riders.
“As Lagos moves toward a smarter, more sustainable mobility future, inDrive is committed to supporting solutions that prioritise affordability, safety, driver empowerment, and technological readiness.
“Through this partnership, we hope to contribute meaningfully to shaping policies and ideas that will redefine how millions of people move across the state,” he said.
Now in its seventh edition, AOT Lagos has evolved into a premier platform for advancing smart-city innovation, showcasing emerging technologies, and influencing the policy frameworks that shape the digital economy in Africa’s largest city.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government is set to open Section 1 of the 700 km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway for public use from December 12 to 17, 2025.
The Minister of Works, Mr Dave Umahi, gave the assurance on Sunday in Lagos during a review of outstanding works on Section 1 of the highway project.
The section 1 is 47.47km long and has six lanes and two carriageways.
Mr Umahi said: “We also set aside April next year to have Section 1 and half of Section 2 fully completed and commissioned,” adding that the contractor handling the project, Hitech Construction Company Limited, had achieved more than 80 per cent of the reinforced concrete pavement.
“We are very grateful to God Almighty for his mercies, and to the President and to the contractor.
“If we are to pay for everything they have done, it will be very difficult to have this job done because there are places we didn’t envisage that we were going to be removing pits up to a depth of 20 metres.
“They had to do that because they are partners in progress for the development of the country.
“We have just about three kilometres to complete the entire sand filling from Ahmadu Bello Way to Eleko Junction, and we are excited at the work and the quality of what has been done,” the former Governor of Ebonyi State, said.
The new Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olufemi Dare, told the minister that a lot of settling was ongoing at Chainage 33 of the highway project, praising the contractor for high quality of work.
“Sir, it may interest you to know that the building standing is the palace of this community, and you saved this building, and they are extremely happy,” he said.
On his part, the Managing Director of Hitech Construction Company Limited, Mr Dany Abboud, said that the company would still backfill from Chainage 34 to Chainage 37.
“Dredging is ongoing, we are on track to deliver.
“We are monitoring the settlement in the swampy areas and the water body areas due to the change of alignment,” he said.
The highway, which commenced construction in March 2024, has generated a lot of controversy, with critics raising concern around cost and procurement structure.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A Nigerian lender has been accused of frustrating local business owners by not financing Made-in-Nigeria vehicles but promoting the purchase of foreign vehicles.
This allegation was made by the owner of a local vehicle assembly firm, Nord Motion, Mr Oluwatobi Ajayi, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
He described this as an economic sabotage, stressing that this action does not encourage local investors.
“A business owner in the oil and gas sector approached us that he would like to buy two units of the @nordmotion Max pickup for his company. Apparently, he was impressed with the vehicle after some rides with his peers in the sector.
“To my shock, yesterday, my team told me that the bank, a bank operating in Nigeria told him that they do not finance Made-in-Nigeria vehicles, and they even suggested to our customer that he should go for foreign brands instead.
“The most provocative part of this is that all of the brands they suggested to him identified as Made-in-Nigeria brands in their filings with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), which means they decide who they want to be whenever it suits them.
“This is yet another example of the needless sabotage and institutional bias against Nigerian manufacturers and assemblers that we experience in this sector.
“The President aims to grow us into a $1 trillion economy. Nigerians want to buy Made-in-Nigeria products, we are working very hard to produce world-class vehicles, but some banks, who should play the role of credit facilitators, are displaying open prejudice against locally made vehicles.
“What sort of economic sabotage is this?
“Many of us who continue to assemble and manufacture vehicles here do so not just for profit, but out of patriotism and belief in the long game. We see this as a marathon, not a sprint.
“We cannot continue using Nigerian resources to strengthen foreign factories while starving our own indigenous companies of opportunities.
“If we truly want this country to be better, then we must support goods and services made in Nigeria, especially those of us who have shown we can deliver world-class standards. The support has to be real, not just in words, but in policy, in finance, and in action.
“Every time we deny support for local production, we export jobs, skills, and economic growth that should belong here,” he narrated.
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