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Friday, 29 March 2024

#LagosIsWalking: a city bristles under bike ban

Duration: 01:32s 0 shares 1 views

#LagosIsWalking: a city bristles under bike ban
#LagosIsWalking: a city bristles under bike ban

Commuters in Lagos, such as lawyer Abisoye Adeniyi, are finding their journeys to work even more torturous in Nigeria's notoriously gridlocked commercial capital after a ban on commercial motorbikes and rickshaws.

Nneka Chile reports.

The sun hasn't risen when Abisoye Adeniyi leaves for work at a law firm in Nigeria's bustling commercial capital Lagos.

After city authorities introduced a ban on commercial motorbikes and motorized rickshaws, known as okadas and kekes, she now has to walk for half an hour to a bus stop - stretching her commute to nearly two hours.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) LAWYER, ABISOYE ADENIYI, SAYING: "Even at times when I get to work around let's say 8:30, I feel very tired and exhausted to even do anything at work, I feel very tired and exhausted so it has not only affected me, it has affected everybody." In a city already notorious for traffic jams, the gridlock has intensified since the ban - prompting protests and the hashtag #LagosIsWalking to trend on Twitter.

State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu outlawed the loosely regulated bikes and rickshaws citing safety and security concerns and he's since launched 55 additional buses and inaugurated 14 public ferries.

Ladi Balogun, CEO of Lagos Ferry Services company, says they've seen the number of ferry users increase by 300% above their projection.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) REALTOR, HARRISON NUNU, SAYING: "The ferry is good" Realtor Harrison Nunu says the boats are good for some journeys, but that the bikes bridge the gap between other forms of transport.

He was facing a long walk to his office once he landed.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) REALTOR, HARRISON NUNU, SAYING: "We need the bikes".

The ban has also hit former drivers who have lost their income in a nation with 23% unemployment.

Startups Gokada and Max.ng, which had raised millions in funding before the ban, have called for the government to regulate okadas rather than ban them.

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