The Federal Government and town planners have called for increased investment in urban infrastructure to address rising transport demand, improve safety and reduce congestion in Lagos.

Technical Adviser to the Vice President of Nigeria on Transport, Logistics and Innovation, Segun Obayendo, made the call at the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Lagos Chapter, 2026 symposium, themed: “The Impacts of Incidental Bus-Stops of Shuttle Buses and Tricycles in Lagos State:
The Urban Planners’ Perspective.”

Obayendo said residential and commercial growth was creating travel demand faster than planners could provide formal transport stops, resulting in widespread incidental stopping at high-demand locations.

He identified Oshodi Interchange, Mile 12 Market corridor, Ojuelegba, Berger, Ikeja-A Airport Road and Costain as major hotspots where routes converge and infrastructure has not kept pace with demand.

“Lagos runs on informal transport. Formal rail and water transport still cover a small share of trips.

The city’s movement is carried by road and mostly by vehicles that were never part of a master plan,” he said.

According to him, incidental stops provide important first- and last-mile links to underserved streets, estates, markets, schools and clinics, but also create safety risks, particularly for pedestrians, women, children and the elderly.

He said unplanned stopping contributes to congestion, unpredictable travel times, fuel waste and emissions, while stopping near dedicated BRT and quality bus corridor lanes undermines their reliability.

Obayendo urged authorities to invest in designated bus bays and other physical infrastructure at high-demand nodes, while integrating informal transport into the first- and last-mile network.

He also called for enforcement to be matched with viable alternatives, saying authorities should restrict informal stopping only after providing nearby designated facilities.

He recommended stronger coordination among the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), transport unions and local governments in making corridor-by-corridor decisions.

The outgoing NITP Lagos Chapter Chairman, Oladele Akindele, backed the state government’s Physical Planning Digitalisation (e-PPPS), saying it would improve the efficiency of obtaining development permits.

He called for a Comprehensive Physical Development Plan to guide land use and right-of-way alignment, particularly for major highways.

On the Lagos-Calabar highway, Akindele proposed a coastal management commission involving affected states, alongside integrated emergency facilities, including rescue points, police posts, fire stations and ambulance services along the corridor.

He also recommended planned lay-bys, rest areas, hospitals, motor parks, markets and other critical facilities at defined intervals, as well as solar-powered CCTV cameras for security.

On flooding, Akindele urged the government to study flood-control measures used in the Netherlands and New Orleans and adapt them locally. He identified blocked drainage channels as a major contributor to flooding and called for continuous monitoring, public enlightenment and sanctions against offenders.

He also disclosed that the chapter’s six-floor permanent secretariat building was nearing completion and that it had strengthened collaboration with universities offering urban and regional planning to improve education, research and professional practice.

Meanwhile, the newly elected 20th Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter, Dr David Olawale, has pledged to strengthen the chapter and make it a preferred professional home for town planners.

Speaking at the chapter’s Annual General Meeting, Olawale thanked members for their confidence and said his years of service at state and national levels had prepared him for the leadership responsibility.

He outlined priorities including completing the NITP-Joseph Awogbemi House project, strengthening advocacy and engagement with government, developing members’ capacity, mentoring young professionals and students, improving welfare and membership growth, and advancing digital transformation.

Olawale also pledged to sustain key legacy programmes and strengthen the chapter’s institutional systems and knowledge base.