LASTMA CONVENES STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS’ ENGAGEMENT WITH COURIER AND DISPATCH RIDERS IN LAGOS.
…Urges Dispatch Riders to Prioritise Safety and Regulatory Compliance at All Times.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) today convened a high-level Strategic Road Safety and Regulatory Stakeholders’ Engagement with Courier and Dispatch Riders across Lagos State, further reaffirming the unwavering commitment of the State Government towards promoting sanity, discipline, regulatory compliance and enhanced safety on roads across the metropolis.
The landmark engagement, held at the LASTMA Headquarters, Oshodi, Lagos, was organised under the compelling and thought-provoking theme: “Ride Smart, Stay Alive.”
The event attracted a distinguished assemblage of critical stakeholders within the transportation ecosystem, including representatives of courier and dispatch operators, security agencies, transport unions, road safety advocates and senior government officials, all united by a collective resolve to curb the disturbing spate of road traffic accidents involving dispatch riders and commercial motorcyclists across the State.
In his keynote address delivered on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olawale Musa, the Director of Transport Operations, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Olasukanmi Ojowuro, who represented the Permanent Secretary as Chief Host, underscored the imperative necessity for dispatch riders and courier operators to imbibe a culture of responsible riding, unwavering compliance with traffic regulations and heightened safety consciousness while operating on roads across Lagos State.
The Permanent Secretary observed that the strategic engagement became expedient in view of the alarming rise in road traffic infractions, reckless riding tendencies and fatal accidents involving courier and dispatch riders across major corridors of the State.
According to him, the administration of the Governor of Lagos State remains irrevocably committed to the protection of lives and property through the implementation of sustainable transportation policies, institutional reforms and continuous stakeholders’ engagements aimed at entrenching orderliness, professionalism and operational efficiency within the transportation sector.
He further admonished riders and operators to perceive road safety regulations not as punitive measures, but as indispensable safeguards deliberately designed to preserve human lives and facilitate seamless vehicular movement across the State.
Speaking earlier, the General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki stated that dispatch riders remain critical partners in sustaining the efficient movement of goods and services within Lagos State’s rapidly expanding commercial landscape.
Bakare-Oki disclosed that operational reports on activities involving dispatch riders in 2025 revealed that over 862 crash victims were rescued through various emergency interventions, while more than 16,641 vehicles were impounded for traffic-related offences, including reckless driving, obstruction, overloading and mechanical defects.
The General Manager further revealed that several tragic incidents involving dispatch riders had been recorded along major traffic corridors such as Eko Bridge, Lekki-Epe Expressway, the Otedola Bridge axis, Ikorodu Road, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and Railway crossing points around Ikeja.
He maintained that the major causes of these unfortunate crashes include reckless overtaking, driving against traffic, fatigue arising from prolonged working hours, poor motorcycle maintenance, traffic light violations, use of mobile phones while riding and non-compliance with extant safety regulations, particularly the use of crash helmets and reflective jackets.
According to him:
“Beyond these safety concerns, dispatch riders also operate under enormous commercial pressure to meet stringent delivery timelines and customer expectations, often navigating difficult traffic conditions for prolonged hours on a daily basis.”
“Every avoidable crash involving a dispatch rider remains a painful reminder that safety must continue to occupy the highest pedestal of our collective priorities.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police CP Tijani Fatai, who attended the event as the Special Guest of Honour, urged courier companies and dispatch operators to institutionalize periodic safety training programmes, proper rider documentation and effective operational monitoring mechanisms capable of promoting accountability, professionalism and operational discipline among riders.
The Commissioner of Police also advised dispatch riders to remain security conscious while carrying out their commercial activities across the State.
Participants at the engagement commended LASTMA for organising what they described as a timely, pragmatic and impactful initiative geared towards achieving safer roads and a more coordinated dispatch operation framework within Lagos State.
The engagement also featured interactive sessions, regulatory sensitization lectures and robust deliberations on practical measures required to improve operational standards and strengthen compliance among dispatch riders operating within the State.
The theme, “Ride Smart, Stay Alive,” therefore transcends mere rhetoric, serving instead as a solemn call to responsibility, caution, professionalism and the preservation of human lives on roads across Lagos State.
Other government agencies represented at the strategic engagement included the Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Lagos State Ambulance Service, Lagos Traffic Radio, Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU), Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI), Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL), Lagos State Task Force, Command and Control Centre, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, among others.
Adebayo Taofiq
Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA
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