The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has raised fresh concerns over the increasing number of accidents involving dispatch riders across major highways in Lagos, announcing plans to clamp down on violations and enforce stricter safety measures.
Speaking in an interview on Monday, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, disclosed that the agency is intensifying both enforcement and advocacy as part of a broader strategy to curb what he described as a worrying trend.
Bakare-Oki revealed that the agency has already initiated formal communication with unions representing dispatch riders, signaling a coordinated push to address the issue from both regulatory and operational angles.
“There are plans to convene a stakeholders’ engagement with courier service operators and riders to promote strict adherence to safety regulations,” he said.
The proposed engagement, according to him, will bring together key actors in the logistics and transportation ecosystem, including courier companies and rider unions, with the aim of enforcing compliance and reducing road mishaps.
He stressed that the initiative would not only target regulatory enforcement but also behavioural change among riders.
“The engagement will focus on encouraging riders to prioritise not only the safety of other road users but also their personal well-being,” Bakare-Oki added.
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The LASTMA boss maintained that the Lagos State government remains committed to safeguarding lives and property, particularly amid the surge in commercial motorcycle and dispatch-related activities driven by the growth of e-commerce and on-demand delivery services.
In what appears to be a longer-term strategy, the agency is also expanding its school-based advocacy programmes, targeting young people as part of efforts to instill road safety consciousness early.
Bakare-Oki disclosed that between January and March, LASTMA reached approximately 38 to 39 percent of schools across the state through its traffic safety education campaigns.
He described the initiative as deliberate and strategic, noting that shaping attitudes at a young age is critical to achieving sustainable compliance with traffic regulations.
The renewed enforcement drive comes amid mounting public concern over reckless riding, traffic violations, and fatal crashes involving dispatch riders, many of whom operate under tight delivery deadlines with minimal formal training.
