The Lagos State Government has ordered all licensed e-hailing operators to present their vehicles for mandatory inspection, in a bid to boost safety, service quality, and regulatory compliance in the sector.
Gatekeepers News reports that Oluwaseun Osiyemi, Commissioner for Transportation, issued the directive during a meeting with e-hailing operators in Ikeja.
The commissioner expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of some vehicles in service, warning that unfit cars will be barred from operating on Lagos roads.
Osiyemi also highlighted the rising safety risks for motorists and substandard service delivery, stressing that the government will not tolerate practices endangering public safety.
He criticised the lack of robust databases among some platforms, which hinders tracking of discrepancies and criminal activities, and cautioned that sanctions would be imposed for noncompliance.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olawale Musa, said unregistered vehicles will no longer be tolerated due to the security risks they pose.
He emphasised the need for operators to keep their data updated on the ministry’s digital system and urged all drivers to be registered and certified by the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI).
Musa also advised passengers to avoid booking rides offline to ensure the safety features and accountability tools within the apps are not bypassed.
Representatives from major ride-hailing platforms including Uber, Bolt, Lagride, Laurie, Vas Acquico, InDrive, Folti Tech, and EDryv shared updates on new safety measures, such as improved driver verification, mandatory licence checks, panic buttons, and enhanced onboarding and off-boarding processes.
