The Lagos State Governor, Babajide
Sanwo-Olu, unveiled technology-driven GAC-branded vehicles
codenamed ”LAG RIDE.”
L-R: Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Animasahun; Lagos Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Federic Oladeinde; Ambassador of China to Nigeria, Amb. Cui Jianchun; Chairman, Choice International Group, Chief Diana Chen; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Chief Executive Officer, IBILE Holdings Limited, Mr. Abiodun Amokomowo and House Committee Chairman on Transportation, Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Temitope Adewale, during the formal launch of 1000 Cars for Lagos Ride Taxi Scheme, at the Sports Ground, Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.
The modernised taxi scheme has taken off in Lagos State, with the rollout of the first batch of 1,000 brand-new GAC-branded automobiles by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday.
The ride-hailing taxi initiative, codenamed
“LAG RIDE” and being operated on a lease-to-own basis is a component of the
state government’s multi-modal transportation blueprint being executed under
the Traffic Management and Transportation pillar of the THEMES agenda of the
Sanwo-Olu administration.
The initiative is a partnership between
Lagos State-owned IBILE Holding Limited and CIG Motors Company Limited, with
the objective to provide clean and reliable means of taxis movement across the
metropolis at affordable cost, using brand-new vehicles.
Operators are required to pay about N1.9
million down payment. The sum covers the 20 percent equity of cost of vehicle,
registration and insurance. Each car being used in the scheme comes with
technology-enabled security features that monitor every journey undertaken.
Sanwo-Olu, while launching the scheme at
Lagos House, Ikeja, said the state had moved another step forward in its drive
to develop an efficient transportation model in tune with modernity and comfort.
He told the audience at the launch that the
scheme was not to run existing hailing ride operators out of the business but
to offer safer alternatives and clear the roads of rickety cars being used for
taxi business.
According to the governor, the initiative
provides opportunities to the operators to become owners of the vehicles within
three to four years period.
“The need to provide better, dignifying and more rewarding means of transportation and livelihood for unemployed and underemployed population gave birth to the new ‘Lagos State Taxi Scheme’, which will be operated on a lease-to-own basis. Under this arrangement, a beneficiary will be provided a brand-new car which will become the driver’s property after completion of the payment of the vehicle’s subsidised cost.
“This taxi scheme will complement the
various bus services which are making a significant impact in the lives of our
people; the water transport service, which is recording unprecedented
patronage, as well as the Blue and Red Line Rail services which are on course
to commence commercial operations between the last quarter of this year and the
first quarter of 2023.”
Also speaking, Frederic Oladeinde, the
commissioners for transportation, described the scheme as “another milestone
achievement”, noting that the initiative had joined an array of other
innovative solutions initiated in the transport sector, which were targeted at
redefining public transportation.
To make the rides affordable, the
commissioner said the technology on which the scheme is operated had made
ride-sharing possible for passengers, who would agree to share ride and transit
costs.
Chairman of CIG Motors in Nigeria, Diana
Chang, said the roadmap for the urbanisation of the transportation system in
Lagos started in November 2019 when the governor and members of his cabinet
visited the Republic of China for bilateral partnership. The launch, she said,
is the glorious end of the partnership sealed with Chinese investors.
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