Lagos Unveils New Safety, Welfare, CNG Initiatives for Truck Operators
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has introduced a series of transport-focused interventions aimed at improving safety standards, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability within the state’s haulage and freight sector.
The initiatives, announced at the maiden Maritime Logistics Stakeholders’ Forum in Agidingbi, Ikeja, include free eye screening for truckers, drug and substance abuse sensitisation, safety testing, and a structured CNG truck acquisition programme implemented in partnership with the United Bank for Africa (UBA).
Represented by the Special Adviser on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, the Governor said the programmes were developed to promote safer freight movements across Lagos’ transport corridors while modernising the state’s trucking ecosystem.
He added that the engagement provides a crucial platform for government, regulators, unions, and private operators to jointly address operational challenges, strengthen compliance, and reshape the future of maritime road transport.
Sanwo-Olu encouraged truck operators to take advantage of the credit facilities offered by UBA to acquire brand-new CNG-powered trucks, describing the transition as vital to improving road safety and reducing the sector’s environmental footprint.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, noted that the new measures demonstrate the administration’s commitment to reducing truck-related accidents and enhancing the welfare of drivers, who play a central role in the state’s logistics value chain.
He described the CNG shift as “a bold and necessary step toward a greener transport future.”
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Olawale Musa, outlined the session’s key priorities, which include safety, sustainability, collaboration, and enhanced welfare for truckers.
He acknowledged the operational difficulties drivers face and reaffirmed the government’s readiness to support the sector.
Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, urged operators to embrace the government’s transport reforms, warning that resisting modernisation could risk their relevance.
He added that the initiatives would correct long-standing inefficiencies within the maritime logistics space.
The National President of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, praised the Lagos State Government for prioritising transport development and assured that operators would maximise the opportunities, especially in transitioning to CNG trucks for a cleaner and safer environment.
UBA Regional Manager, Mr Ernest Omoreghe, reaffirmed the bank’s readiness to support truck fleet renewal through a ₦150 billion financing programme to be disbursed in three phases.
He said the facility would help operators acquire modern, safer, and climate-friendly trucks.
The engagement, initiated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport and Logistics, Hon. Hassan Adekoya, was attended by key transport and security stakeholders, including.
