BY EMEKA EJERE
Motor park touts popularly known as agberos in Lagos generate an estimated annual revenue of N123.078 billion amassed from daily road use taxes levied on bus drivers, tricycle riders and motorcycle operators in the state.
According to a recent research report by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), the total annual revenue from the three major modes of transport in Lagos state amounts to N123.078 billion.
The ICIR report, however, admitted that these figures may yet be underestimated as daily levies on the transporters are much higher in some parts of Lagos including Mushin, Isolo, Itire/Ikate among others.
Analysts say with this size of revenue, if Lagos agberos were to constitute themselves into a state, they would be richer than 35 Nigerian states, second only to their home base, Lagos state.
In 2020, Lagos State recorded the highest Internally Generated Revenue of N418.99 billion, accounting for 32.1% of the total, closely followed by Rivers State with N117.19 billion.
Other states with the highest IGR in 2020 include Abuja (N92.06 billion), Delta (N59.73 billion), Kaduna (N50.75 billion), Ogun (N50.75 billion), and Oyo State (N38.04 billion).
Below is an overview of the Lagos agbero revenue figures:
Levies on commercial buses (danfo)
- Each commercial vehicle driver pays at least N3,000 to Agberos as ticket fee.
- There are an estimated 75,000 commercial buses operating in Lagos, according to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
- Estimated daily total collection: N225 million
- Estimated monthly total collection: N6.75 billion
- Estimated yearly total collection: N82.125 billion
Levies on Tricycle operators (keke napep)
- Each keke napep rider pays at least N1,800 to Agberos per day.
- There are an estimated 50,000 tricycles operating in Lagos, according to Techcabal.
- Estimated daily total collection: N90 million
- Estimated monthly total collection: N2.7 billion
- Estimated yearly total collection: N32.85 billion
Levies on motorcycle operators (okada)
- Each okada rider pays at least N600 to Agberos per day.
- There are an estimated 37,000 okada riders operating in Lagos, according to Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State (MOALS).
- Estimated daily total collection: N22.2 million
- Estimated monthly total collection: N666 million
- Estimated yearly total collection: N8.103 billion