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Oyo to Register Commercial Motorcycle Riders, Capture Fingerprints, Others

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commercial motorcycle riders

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Very soon, commercial motorcycle riders in Oyo State will require identification numbers and registration jackets to ply their trades in the state.

This is part of efforts to curb every form of criminality and other social vices and regulate the activities of commercial motorcyclists to also prevent the breakdown of law and order.

Business Post gathered that the registration will require each commercial bike rider’s name, address, fingerprint, passport-sized photograph, and a unique ID number.

At a stakeholders’ meeting with over 100 commercial riders’ association leaders in Ibadan on Thursday, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Musibau Babatunde, said the registration is part of the Oyo State government’s drive to ensure the effectiveness of the ongoing state-wide residents’ registration programme, saying the exercise will help in planning properly for the security architecture of the state, in the long-run.

“States across the south-west have been banning operations of commercial motorcyclists, but we know that will have its own socio-economic challenges. So rather than banning them, we felt it is pertinent to know the number of bike riders in the State and use that for our security architecture,” he said.

The Commissioner added that there are multi-dimensional benefits accruable to the registration exercise, both for the motorcyclists and the state, in terms of security and economic planning.

Also, his counterpart in the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Wasiu Olatubosun, explained that the registration will help regulate the influx of commercial motorcyclists into the state.

Mr Olatubosun emphasised that the registration will be free, adding that the proactive approach to regulating the activities of commercial motorcyclists by Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration will prevent the breakdown of law and order.

“We will set up a task force consisting of both the union and other relevant agencies that will make sure that unregistered riders don’t operate within the state,” he said.

On his part, the Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT and e-Governance, Mr Bayo Akande, said that the registration process was initiated by the state government to distinguish every rider operating in the state.

“Actually, registration exercises had commenced months back at every Local government and office of the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority. All is now set to provide numbered jackets, in order to identify riders who are duly registered with the state,” the Governor’s aide said.

He said part of the dividends of the registration is the provision of health insurance and other palliatives for riders in the state.

Responding on behalf of the Okada riders, Mr Yusuf Muritala, commended Governor Makinde for not considering a ban on their activities, assuring that his colleagues are ready to cooperate with the state government to register.

He, therefore, expressed the readiness of the commercial motorcycle riders in Oyo State to abide by the rules and regulations established by the government to regulate the activities of their operations, pledging the support of all motorcyclist associations in the state to the government.

However, Mr Muritala appealed to the consultant in charge of the registration exercise to work with leaders in each zone to ensure an expansion of registration points for commercial motorcyclists.

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

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Warri–Itakpe Train Derailment Leaves Passengers With Injuries

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Warri-Itakpe train

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A few passengers on a Warri-Itakpe train were feared to have died on Monday in a derailment, which affected at least four coaches. Some of the passengers were also said to have suffered some degree of injury.

This was confirmed by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in a statement today.

The unfortunate incident involved the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS), the agency stated, though it did not confirm the number of human casualties.

However, it noted that emergency response teams and relevant authorities were at the scene attending to the situation and providing necessary assistance.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirms that an incident involving the Warri–Itakpe Train Service (WITS) occurred today.

“Emergency response teams and relevant authorities are currently at the scene attending to the situation and providing necessary assistance,” the chief executive of the organisation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, said in the statement.

“The corporation is closely monitoring developments and a detailed statement will be issued as soon as more information becomes available,” it added.

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Shuttlers Hits 10 Million Trips, Expands Reach via Google Maps Transit

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By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian mobility startup Shuttlers has surpassed 10 million trips on its platform and expanded its reach through an integration with Google Maps Transit in Nigeria, thereby strengthening access to public transportation information.

According to a statement on Monday, the milestones reflect the growing need for structured, shared mobility in urban Africa.

The 10-million-trip milestone coincides with Shuttlers’ 10th year of operations, marking a key point in its growth trajectory. Meanwhile, the Google Maps integration now allows users searching for transit directions on the platform to view Shuttlers’ routes and book seats directly through its system.

The partnership is expected to broaden access to reliable shared transportation options for businesses and professionals navigating major urban centres.

To achieve a Google Transit Partner status, Shuttlers aligned its data architecture, route systems, and real-time operational capabilities with Google’s partner infrastructure requirements.

Across the continent’s fastest-growing cities, formal public transport infrastructure faces significant pressure from rapid population growth, leaving millions of professionals dependent on fragmented and costly alternatives. According to the World Bank, African cities lose an estimated 2% to 5% of GDP annually to transport inefficiency.

Shuttlers currently serves 30,000 active users across more than 1,000 itineraries, operating more than 430 buses daily across Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. Since launching in 2016, the platform said it has maintained a 99 per cent trip completion rate and a 99.94 per cent incident-free rate across its entire journey history.

The average Shuttlers commuter saves 60 per cent to 88 per cent on transport costs compared to ride-hailing services, and reclaims 8 to 12 hours from gridlock every month. In Lagos, the average commuter loses more than 30 hours a month to gridlock.

Speaking on this achievement, chief executive and co-founder of Shuttlers, Ms Damilola Olokesusi, shared, “We are incredibly proud of our integration into the Google Maps Transit system. This, alongside hitting 10 million journeys since launch, is a reflection of years of hard work. For millions of professionals, commuting is still unpredictable, exhausting and expensive.”

“We have spent the last 10 years building technology and operational infrastructure that makes daily transportation more dependable – for commuters, businesses that employ them, and the fleet operators who power our network,” she added.

On his part, Mr Olumide Balogun, Director for West Africa at Google, said: “We are pleased to welcome Shuttlers into the Google Transit ecosystem in Nigeria. Reliable transit information helps people navigate cities more confidently and efficiently. As more Nigerians adopt digital tools for everyday mobility, integrations like these help make trusted transportation easier to discover and access.”

Reiterated its commitment to sustainability, Shutters also disclosed that it is actively integrating Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric buses into its fleet, reducing emissions by up to 60 per cent compared to traditional diesel alternatives.

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inDrive Lagos, Abuja Top Drivers Get N30m Fuel, Shopping Vouchers

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inDrive Driver Rewards Campaign

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Top drivers of a global mobility and urban services platform, inDrive, in Lagos and Abuja were recently rewarded with fuel and shopping vouchers worth N30 million through its Driver Rewards Campaign.

The promo was created by the company in response to rising fuel costs and increasing operational expenses. It is providing meaningful support to its driver community through this initiative, while celebrating their commitment and hard work for keeping Nigeria’s major cities moving every day.

The campaign, which started in March and will end in June 2026, involves distributing vouchers worth N30,000 each to 1,000 eligible drivers through a series of live raffle draws on inDrive’s digital platforms. This effort is designed to acknowledge and reward the most active drivers on the platform for their unwavering dedication and commitment to providing high-quality service to passengers.

The Country Lead for inDrive Nigeria, Mr Timothy Oladimeji, noted that the initiative underscores the organisation’s ongoing commitment to driver welfare and its mission to foster equitable opportunities within the mobility ecosystem.

Mr Oladimeji explained that the Driver Rewards Campaign is designed to ease some financial burdens while encouraging and celebrating drivers’ resilience, professionalism, and dedication to service.

“At inDrive, we understand the realities drivers face every day, especially as rising fuel prices continue to put pressure on their earnings. Our drivers are the backbone of our platform, and this campaign is our way of recognising their dedication and supporting them meaningfully.

“Through these rewards, we want to show that inDrive stands with drivers, values their contribution and remains committed to creating a fairer and more rewarding mobility ecosystem,” he said.

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