Transport sector in Lagos state
Recognizing the need to improve the transport sector in Lagos State, a number of studies was conducted in the ’90s to define appropriate solutions. The Lagos Mass Transit and Transport Systems (LMTS) Management Program study were undertaken in 1992. This work set out to identify actions necessary to address the complex transport situation in Lagos. The study had as one of its major recommendations, the creation of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) to coordinate transport policies, programs, and actions of all agencies at different tiers of government.
LAMATA, a semi-autonomous body
LAMATA was established as a semi-autonomous corporate body with perpetual succession and an independent board responsible for formulation, coordination and implementation of urban transport policies and programmes in the Lagos metropolitan area. It was created by a State Act (LAMATA Law) signed into law on January 13, 2002 by the then Governor of the State, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Authority has the overall responsibility for transport planning and coordination in the Lagos metropolitan area with the primary mandate to play a lead role in carrying out transport planning, assist in transport policy formulation, coordination of major operational and investment decisions and implementation.
The law grants LAMATA several powers to facilitate the discharge of its statutory functions, including the power to levy and collect user charges in connection with the provision of its services and to collect any other tariffs, fees and road taxes as may be authorized by the Governor.
The law establishing LAMATA
The law establishing LAMATA was strengthened further in 2007 to include planning and regulatory functions across the various modes of transport under the amended LAMATA Act 2007, the Authority is empowered by law with responsibilities to carry out the following key functions in Lagos metropolitan area;
- Coordinate transport policies, programs and actions of all agencies
- Maintain and manage the Declared Road Network (DRN), mainly bus public transport routes of about 632km
- Plan, coordinate, manage and develop the supply of adequate and effective transportation;
- Recommend on route planning and general location of bus shelters, pedestrian ways and bridges
- Collect and levy transport road user charges and establish a Transport Fund (TF) as a user reform financing mechanism to increase the low level of cost recovery in the transport sector, and to sustain the performance of LAMATA;
- Collect 50% of net Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) revenue (specific items) to be paid directly into the TF
- Regulate Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along prioritised corridors
- Coordinate activities of the State Licensing Authority and all vehicle inspection units;
- Make policy recommendations on public transportation to the Governor, including mechanisms for implementation;
- Prepare plans for the development and management of an integrated multimode public transport system
The organisation’s successful performance of these functions will assist in poverty alleviation by increasing economic efficiency through lower transport costs and prices, and enhancement of employment and social opportunities.
