Lagos E-Hailing Drivers Condemn Unilateral Vehicle Inspection Mandate
The vibrant e-hailing sector in Lagos, Nigeria, a cornerstone of the city’s rapidly evolving tech-driven transport landscape, is currently at the center of a significant dispute. Drivers operating these app-based services, united under the banner of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), have vociferously criticized the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation (MOT) for recently implementing a comprehensive vehicle inspection schedule without any consultation with the very individuals it impacts. This move highlights growing tensions between regulatory bodies and the crucial gig economy workforce in Africa’s most populous city, underscoring the pressing need for inclusive policy development in the rapidly expanding urban tech space.
Union Demands Inclusion in Policy Making
In a strong statement issued to Technext, signed by the union’s Chairman, Comrade Jaiyesimi Azeez, AUATON expressed its profound disappointment and outright condemnation of the MOT’s actions. The union specifically called out the Commissioner of Transport, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, for proceeding with a comprehensive vehicle inspection program for e-hailing operators without engaging the drivers themselves or their officially recognized trade union. As per the statement, “The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), Lagos State Council, strongly condemns the recent actions of the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation (MOT) through the commissioner of transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, in rolling out a comprehensive vehicle inspection schedule for e-hailing operators without engaging the drivers and their legally recognised trade union.” This directive follows a prior announcement by the Lagos MOT, which had ordered major e-hailing platforms like Uber, Bolt, inDrive, and LagRide to present their vehicles for a roadworthiness inspection scheme. AUATON’s stance firmly reiterates the necessity for collaborative dialogue and input from all stakeholders, particularly those on the frontline of service delivery, before such significant regulatory changes are enforced.
This incident in Lagos serves as a critical reminder of the ongoing challenges in regulating modern tech-driven services within emerging markets. For the e-hailing industry to thrive sustainably in dynamic African cities, effective communication and mutual respect between government bodies and driver unions are paramount. Ensuring drivers’ input in policy formulation is not just a matter of fairness but is essential for creating pragmatic and widely accepted regulations that foster a stable and productive environment for both service providers and users.
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