Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has introduced a set of interventions aimed at improving the health, safety, and overall sustainability of truck operators across the state. The initiatives include free eye screening, substance abuse sensitisation, drug testing programmes, and access to CNG trucks through a new partnership with the United Bank for Africa. These measures were announced at the maiden edition of the stakeholders’ engagement held in Agidingbi, Ikeja.
The Governor, represented by the Special Adviser on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, said the engagement was created to promote safety, welfare, and sustainability within the haulage and freight ecosystem. According to him, the forum offers an important platform for government, regulators, unions, and private operators to discuss challenges, strengthen compliance, and shape the future of maritime logistics. He encouraged truck operators to use the partnership with UBA to acquire brand new CNG trucks through well-structured credit facilities, stressing the importance of safety and environmental responsibility.
Delivering his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the initiatives show the administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of truck operators and reducing avoidable accidents. He described the shift to CNG as “a bold step toward a greener future,” adding that it reinforces the State Government’s dedication to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olawale Musa, outlined the focus areas of the engagement, which include safety, sustainability, partnership, collaboration, and truckers’ welfare. He acknowledged the challenges truck drivers face and noted that the state is working to support them.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, urged stakeholders to fully embrace the intervention. He warned that failure to adapt could leave their businesses facing obsolescence, while adding that the initiative will help correct long-standing deficiencies in the maritime logistics industry.
In his message, the National President of the National Association of Road Transport Owners, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, praised the Lagos State Government for introducing the programme. He assured that operators are ready to make use of the opportunities provided to strengthen their economic contributions and support the transition to CNG for a cleaner environment.
The Regional Manager of UBA, Mr. Ernest Omoreghe, reaffirmed the bank’s readiness to partner with the State Government and NARTO through a ₦150 billion financing window. The funds, to be released in three phases, will support operators in renewing their fleets with modern, safer, and more climate-friendly vehicles.
Other key stakeholders at the event, initiated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport and Logistics, Hon. Hassan Adekoya, included the representative of the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), representatives of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, members of the Association of Maritime and Truck Owners, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport Education and Innovation, Mr. Tobi Idowu, and representatives of Sinotruk.
