The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has revealed that Lagos State requires at least 15,000 public buses to adequately meet the transportation needs of residents and ease long waiting times at bus stations across the state.
LAMATA’s Managing Director, Abimbola Akinajo, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) at the agency’s headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday.
In a statement shared on LAMATA’s official X handle, the agency confirmed that PCC officials, led by Lagos Commissioner Hafeez Odunewu, alongside Director of Investigations Ayinde Wale and other members, visited to understand the challenges faced by LAMATA’s franchise operators, including insufficient bus fleets and increasing commuter complaints.
Akinajo stressed the urgent need to expand the public transport fleet, highlighting that current bus numbers fall far short of the required capacity to serve Lagos’ growing population and reduce long passenger wait times.
The engagement underscores the state government’s efforts to address transportation bottlenecks and enhance public mobility in Africa’s most populous city.
The primary concerns centred on the availability of buses and the extended waiting times experienced by commuters on various routes.
In response, LAMATA MD addressed the delegation, acknowledging the agency’s awareness of the situation.
She explained that LAMATA was actively working with the private sector to increase the number of buses in operation.