Ikorodu commuters lament long waiting time at BRT terminal amid fare rise

For many residents, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is a preferred choice over the yellow buses (danfo) in commuting across the state due to its affordability and relative comfort.

However, the long waiting time at the Ikorodu terminal is making the experience frustrating. This is because it is becoming a norm now at the BRT Ikorodu Terminal, especially in the morning, to see long queues of commuters waiting to join the buses with the waiting time averaging 40 minutes according to passengers.

While many appreciate government’s efforts in providing an affordable transport system, they say the shortage of buses has made commuting difficult. Semiu Adeyemi, a regular BRT passenger, has relied on the service for the past five years because it is cheaper compared to commuting on the yellow commercial buses. However, he now finds the waiting time exhausting.

Hear him: “BRT from Ikorodu to Yaba is ₦700, while the yellow buses charge ₦1,500 for the same route. That’s why I always take BRT, but the long waiting time is frustrating.

“As an old person, this standing is affecting me. I go to Yaba every day, and sometimes, especially on Mondays, I stand for not less than an hour waiting for a bus,” he said.

Another commuter, who usually ply the Ikorodu-Oshodi route, noted that the waiting time of boarding a BRT bus to Oshodi from Ikorodu is better compared to trying to join a bus to other routes. He, nonetheless, stated that passengers still spend time they should have used to connect Oshodi at the BRT bus stop waiting to pick passengers. He added that the waiting time is very excruciating for those traveling to less popular destinations.

“I just want to urge the government to bring more buses. We appreciate the BRT system, but we need more buses here in Ikorodu.

“Standing for hours at the bus terminal often defeat the purpose of choosing BRT in the first place because people still end up getting to work late,” said a passenger heading to Obanikoro.

The Head of Corporate Communications at Primero Transport Services, Mutiu Yekeen, acknowledged the complaints about long waiting time but insisted that the company is doing its best under challenging conditions.

“Primero is not the only operator of BRT in Lagos. On Ikorodu Road alone, we have over 10 operators,” he claimed. He explained that the company starts operations as early as 4:30–5:00 a.m., dispatching about 100 buses in the morning. According to him, passengers who arrive before 6:30 a.m. spend only a few minutes before getting on a bus. However, as the morning rush begins, demand overwhelms supply.

“Ikorodu is a residential area, and people come out at the same time. Even if we release 100 buses at once, there will still be more people waiting,” he argued.

Yekeen also highlighted the financial difficulties affecting operations, saying: “The economic situation has affected the company. Before now, the dollar was about ₦500, and most of the spare parts being used for the vehicle maintenance are imported from China. Now, with the exchange rate and high import costs, we need billions of naira to maintain our buses.”

He explained that the company spends most of its revenue on diesel, leaving little for maintenance. Making an allusion, he said: “If we generate about ₦2 million daily, we spend about ₦1.9 million on diesel alone. That leaves us with just ₦100,000 to run operations, buy spare parts, and maintain the buses. A single tire that used to cost ₦50,000 now costs about ₦300,000, and each bus uses six tires that wear out in three months due to bad roads,” he said.

Due to these challenges, Primero strategically releases buses in phases instead of deploying all at once. Similarly, the Head of Corporate Communications at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Kola Ojelabi, stated that traffic congestion is a major challenge affecting BRT buses schedules.
“When you are talking about traffic, it’s not something we have control over. But regarding the availability of buses, new buses will be arriving soon. I can’t give an exact date, but hopefully, when they arrive, the waiting time will reduce,” he assured.

Meanwhile, BRT fares were recently increased by 18 per cent, sparking reactions from commuters. While some argue that the price of diesel has not risen significantly, LAMATA insists that other operational costs have increased.

“People assume it is only diesel, but they forget about the cost of tires, batteries, and staff salaries, especially with the new national minimum wage adjustments. The fare increase was a necessary decision after careful negotiation,” Ojelabi explained.