Lagos State Government has urged courier companies and other stakeholders to prioritise riders’ safety over profit by training them and enforcing standards.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Olawale Musa, gave the advice at the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Strategic Road Safety Stakeholder Engagement with couriers, including dispatch riders, themed: ‘Ride Smart, Stay Alive’.

Musa who spoke through Director, Transport Operation, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, said the ministry’s vision remains a safer Lagos, where discipline ensures mobility, protects lives and sustains growth. “Lagos courier sector drives economic activities and livelihoods.

“Authorities recognise its value but insist that responsibility must match recognition to build a transport system that protects lives and supports prosperity.

“Safety requires shared commitment. Enforcement, awareness and infrastructure improvements must continue but reckless riding, lawlessness and misuse of Bus Rapid Transit corridors undermine progress and put lives at constant risk.

“Non-compliance fuels crashes, gridlock and economic losses. Riders must obey traffic laws, use safety gear and operate legally, as every decision on the road carries consequences,” he said.

He 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.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, urged dispatch riders and other couriers to prioritise their safety.

He said the theme of the event was a call to responsibility and discipline.

Bakare-Oki said dispatch riders and courier firms played vital roles in the economy of Lagos, supported businesses, drove e-commerce, facilitated deliveries and created jobs.

He said Lagos State remained Nigeria’s commercial hub with growing logistics activities.

He said thousands of riders operated daily across Lagos, boosting productivity and mobility, but warned that the rapid expansion of the sector had raised concerns about road safety and traffic management.

He disclosed that LASTMA rescued over 862 accident victims in 2025 and impounded 16,641 vehicles for offences.

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.

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 institutionalise 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.”