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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Economy & Trade

Lagos State Cites Soaring Bus Costs for Delay in Replacing #EndSARS-Destroyed BRT Fleet

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Lagos State has not replaced the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses destroyed during the #EndSARS protests due to a significant increase in acquisition costs.
  • Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat explained that the price per bus has risen from approximately N80 million to N280 million, making it difficult to replace the 200 burnt vehicles.
  • This cost increase, coupled with the planned retirement of older buses, has contributed to the current shortage of BRT services, though the number of destroyed buses cited by the deputy governor differs from previous official figures.

Lagos State is facing a significant challenge in replacing the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses that were destroyed during the #EndSARS protests, primarily due to a sharp increase in the cost of acquiring new vehicles. Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat highlighted this issue during a recent interview with Nigeria Info FM.

During #EndSARS, if you recall, 200 of those buses were burnt. We bought those buses at that time for 80 million per bus. Now, it’s about 280 million per one.

— Obafemi HamzatExplaining the drastic increase in the cost of BRT buses.

Hamzat explained that the buses, initially purchased at around N80 million each, now cost approximately N280 million per unit. This dramatic price hike has made it financially prohibitive for the state government to replace all 200 buses that were lost during the unrest in October 2020. The deputy governor noted that the state had anticipated needing to phase out older buses after seven or eight years of service, making the replacement of the burnt buses even more urgent.

"If we release those 200 buses into the state, you know, it carries because we know we have anticipated that, okay, some of these buses are seven-year-old, eight-year-old, and we must take them out of circulation," Hamzat stated. He added, "Unfortunately, you know, we’ve not been able to replace all the 200, and that’s what we are seeing today," referring to the current shortage of BRT buses impacting commuters.

If we release those 200 buses into the state, you know, it carries because we know we have anticipated that, okay, some of these buses are seven-year-old, eight-year-old, and we must take them out of circulation.

— Obafemi HamzatDiscussing the planned retirement of older buses and the urgency of replacement.

However, the figure of 200 destroyed buses provided by Hamzat contrasts with earlier reports from the Lagos State Government. In April 2021, the then Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, stated that 80 BRT vehicles were destroyed. This breakdown included 23 large BRT buses burned in Ojodu and 57 medium-sized buses destroyed in Oyingbo. The #EndSARS protests, which began as demonstrations against police brutality, escalated into widespread violence and destruction in Lagos, with facilities like the Oyingbo BRT terminus being attacked and buses set ablaze.

Unfortunately, you know, we’ve not been able to replace all the 200, and that’s what we are seeing today.

— Obafemi HamzatAddressing the current shortage of BRT buses.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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