Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to sustain stakeholders’ engagement following the commencement of the Bus Reform Initiative (BRI) on the Lekki–Epe corridor.

In a statement, yesterday, the Ministry of Transportation said the initiative, which restricts operations on the corridor to medium and high-capacity buses while limiting minibuses, popularly known as “Korope,” to inner routes, recently generated public backlash, including protests by some mini bus operators.

In response, the ministry, led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, and Lekki Estate Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), convened a strategic stakeholders’ meeting to further clarify the objectives and implementation framework of the reform.

Giwa, speaking during the meeting, said that the bus reform initiative is anchored on the Lagos Strategic Transportation Master Plan, which prioritises structured, regulated and sustainable mass transit systems across road, rail and waterways.

According to him, Lagos State, despite its relatively small landmass, remains one of the most densely populated urban centres in Africa, thereby necessitating deliberate and forward-looking transportation planning.

He noted that the state government’s focus is on moving people efficiently and in large numbers through a coordinated mass transit system that aligns with traffic management and safety.

The Special Adviser, while addressing concerns about regulation, said that prior to the BRI, transport operations along the corridor were largely unregulated, and that government intervention became necessary to ensure safety, accountability, data-driven planning, and improved service delivery.

He further disclosed that before the pilot phase commenced, transport unions and other stakeholders along the corridor were invited to a series of meetings and encouraged to form structured groups. This, he said, would enable proper registration, issuance of QR codes, data capture, and effective monitoring of operations.

Giwa, who urged other operators yet to formalise their operations to come forward and comply with the registration process, also appealed to residents, transporters and other stakeholders within the Lekki–Epe axis to embrace the bus reform initiative.