A recent research report by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) has revealed that ‘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.
It was disclosed that in 2020, Lagos Agberos surpassed all other states besides Lagos in revenue generation beating oil-producing Rivers State by a handsome N5.89 billion naira.
The report, however, found no trace that much of this revenue gets into government coffers as the money was not accounted for in the state’s annual financial statements, and analysts are beginning to raise eyebrows as to where and what the fund is being used for.
Below is the data revealed by the research:
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
According to the data presented by ICIR, the total annual revenue from the three major modes of transport in Lagos state amounts to N123.078 billion.
It, 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.
