By Femi Akinola
The Lagos State Government has signed-in into a joint venture agreement with CIG Motors to deploy 5,000 new smart taxis under the LAGRIDE e-hailing scheme.
The agreement, supervised by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, involved Ibile Holdings Limited, a state owned corporation, collaborating with CIG Motors to add brand new vehicles to the LAGRIDE fleet
The $260 million investment, according to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is a major step towards modernising the state’s public transportation.
As it was planned by both sides, 2,000 vehicles will first be delivered while the remainder arrives in batches. Among those that will arrive in batches are 1,000 that are electric vehicles.
Governor Sanwo-Olu the 1000 electric vehicles to be deployed through the joint venture is a testimony of Lagos commitment to reducing fossil fuel dependence and lowering its carbon footprint.
He said, ”This investment deal will further enhance efficiency and elevate smart mobility in the e-hailing sector. These vehicles will be tailored – made for Lagos terrain, operating on lowcarbon emissions, with improved technologicl interaction and energy transition.”
The governor emphasized that the new fleet would be a significant step towards achieving an integrated urban transit system, offering a sustainable alternative to outdated vehicles adding that this initiative is a transportation solution that ”we are developing to meet all our citizens’ needs to commute safely and comfortably within the metropolis.
The LAGRIDE intiative was launched in 2022 with 1,000 new cars and mini-SUVs. It has provided commuters across the state with better transportation options. The latest investments aims to build on this success, extending the services and improving the overall quality of public transit in Lagos.
The new technology that has been deployed recently will make it practically impossible for traffic rules violators to escape particularly when such car owners have pending fines on traffic offences. The traffic rule offences in Lagos includes driving with expired driving licence, roadworthiness, insurance including driving against traffic (One Way drive), among others.
Checks about the workings of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA App) shows that once a vehicle is captured by the App, and register the owner as an offender with unsettled fines as a result of traffic violation, the car owner will simply get a yellow sticker on his or her vehicle as a reminder to settle any understanding fines within a 30 day period.
Failure on the part of the car owner to pay the outstanding fines after the expiration of 30 days ultimatum will result in the car being impounded.