The Lagos State Government has officially commenced the Bus Industry Transition Programme (BITP) following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
The agreement, signed by the Ministry of Transportation, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), and the two transport unions, marks a significant step in the state’s efforts to modernise and formalise public transportation.
Speaking at the signing ceremony on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Olawale Musa, described the BITP as a legacy initiative aimed at integrating the formal and informal transport sectors.
He said the programme would be implemented gradually and called on transport unions to actively support its successful rollout.
According to him, the initiative is designed to make public transportation safer, more efficient, and more reliable for Lagos residents.
Managing Director of LAMATA, Abimbola Akinajo, said the programme seeks to modernise the state’s informal public transport system by integrating traditional operators into a more structured and regulated framework.
She urged members of the transport unions to embrace the initiative, noting that their participation would be critical to building a more efficient and sustainable transport system across the state.
In their separate remarks, Lagos State NURTW Chairman, Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle Sego, and RTEAN Chairman, Comrade Samson Ajala Adepeju, pledged the full support of their unions and expressed confidence in the successful implementation of the programme.