The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is planning to invest in the Lagos State transport system to provide succour to commuters who are going through harrowing times after a government ban on motorcycles and tricycles.
Speaking at a grant signing ceremony with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) in Lagos on Wednesday, C.D. Glin, president and CEO of the USADF, said the agency was interested in providing solutions to the traffic problems of Nigeria’s economic capital.
“We are looking at the challenges of Lagos in terms of traffic,” he said.
“We are looking at providing alternative funding to see how we can provide alternative transport solutions to Lagos State,” Glin, who flew in from Washington DC, said.
USADF is an independent U.S. Government agency established by Congress to support African-owned enterprises that improve lives in poor and vulnerable communities in Africa.
The USADF has funded many Nigerian enterprises, especially those in sectors such as agriculture, health, and off-grid energy.
Its interest in the Lagos transport system stems from the government’s recent ban on motorcycles and tricycles in some parts of the state, which has opened an opportunity in the state’s transport system.
The Lagos State Security Council had, on January 27, announced restriction of movement of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in six local government areas (LGAs) and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) considered highly urbanised. The ban also included 10 highways. Implementation of this order started on February 1, but some commercial motorcyclists have stopped plying these routes for fear of being harassed by overzealous law enforcement agencies.
“It is the US taxpayers’ dollars but we invest in African enterprises,” Glin further said.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the USADF and the LSETF will see each party contribute $2 million over the next five years to impact over 15,000 entrepreneurs in Lagos.
