The authority is consulting freight operators on a framework designed to cut delays, regulatory overlap and unnecessary costs

Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) Managing Director Abimbola Akinajo, represented by Technical Adviser, Planning, Osa Konyeha, on Monday, August 10, 2026, consulted freight unions and industry associations in Lagos as the agency moved closer to completing a new regulatory framework designed to make the movement of goods across the state more efficient and less costly.

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The fourth stakeholder consultation on the proposed Lagos State Freight Policy and Regulatory Framework brought together operators who work directly within the state’s complex logistics and port environment, giving them an opportunity to identify practical obstacles that have long slowed the movement of cargo.

Held under the theme, “Smart Freight for a Thriving Lagos”, the session examined regulatory duplication, illegal charges, truck staging, digital integration and road safety.

Akinajo, represented by Konyeha, assured freight operators that the proposed framework was not intended to create additional financial burdens.

Instead, LAMATA said the objective was to simplify regulatory processes, eliminate unnecessary delays and ultimately lower the cost of moving goods within Lagos.

The consultation comes as the state seeks to manage growing freight activity while addressing the congestion, overlapping responsibilities and operational uncertainty that can accompany movement through one of West Africa’s busiest commercial centres.

The proposed Lagos freight rules are therefore being developed with direct input from operators who experience those challenges on a daily basis.

Consultants Gboyega Odunlami and Ogochukwu Ugboma of ITS/FAOCON led the discussions and reviewed submissions from the participating stakeholders.

Among those present were Mohammed Sani of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, Yinka Onigbinde of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria, Alade Shabi of the National Association of Freight Forwarders and Air Console Agents, and Olanrewaju Majekodunmi of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers.

The participating stakeholders were also nominated to represent the freight unions and industry associations at an upcoming synthesis workshop, where recommendations from the different consultations will be examined and consolidated.

The fourth session forms part of a wider consultation programme launched by LAMATA to ensure that the proposed framework reflects the realities of Lagos’ freight ecosystem.

The first consultation brought together government ministries, departments and agencies, alongside enforcement bodies, to examine inter-agency coordination and overlapping regulatory responsibilities.

The second session focused on private logistics operators, freight companies and cargo owners, with particular attention to difficulties surrounding logistics operations and access to the ports.

The third engagement widened the discussion to professional organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration, as well as academics, civil society organisations and development partners such as the Agence Française de Développement.

That session considered digital integration, environmental sustainability and safety standards, reflecting the broader ambition to move beyond road congestion and address the structural weaknesses within the freight system.

LAMATA began the policy development process as part of the Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan project, with support from the Agence Française de Développement.

The consultancy brief calls for a review of existing freight regulations, identification of regulatory gaps and stakeholder participation in developing a new framework.

The agency has also previously said the wider reform is intended to improve efficiency, reduce congestion and strengthen economic growth, while supporting cleaner freight operations and better integration of road, rail and maritime transport.

The initiative reflects a recognition that improving freight movement requires more than expanding roads.

Lagos has been pursuing a more integrated transport system, with LAMATA responsible for planning and coordinating major elements of the state’s public transport network.

Lagos Commissioner for Transportation Oluwaseun Osiyemi said during an earlier engagement that managing increasing freight volumes would require regulatory alignment, institutional coordination and technology-driven solutions alongside physical infrastructure.

“Addressing these challenges requires more than physical infrastructure alone,” Osiyemi said.

“It demands a coherent policy framework, regulatory alignment, institutional coordination, and the deployment of smart and innovative solutions that improve efficiency while supporting economic growth.”

The state has also identified cleaner truck operations, multimodal transport and technology-based systems such as electronic call-up arrangements and intelligent transport solutions as part of the broader freight reform agenda.

The latest consultation gives freight operators a more direct voice in determining how those ambitions should translate into day-to-day regulation.

That distinction is important in a sector where new rules can have immediate consequences for transport costs, delivery times and the ability of businesses to move goods through the ports and across the metropolitan area.

LAMATA has maintained that the framework will not replace or duplicate the statutory responsibilities of existing federal and state agencies.

Instead, the authority says it is intended to clarify responsibilities, remove institutional bottlenecks and strengthen cooperation among the agencies involved in freight movement. (Lamata)

The final recommendations from the consultations are expected to be incorporated into the proposed framework before its completion.

For LAMATA, the immediate challenge is to turn the concerns raised by operators into practical rules that can be implemented without creating another layer of bureaucracy.

If successful, the policy could provide a more predictable freight environment for businesses while improving road safety, reducing avoidable delays and strengthening the competitiveness of Lagos as a major commercial and logistics hub.

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The stakeholder-led approach also gives the proposed reform a more grounded foundation, allowing the final framework to reflect the experiences of those who operate within Lagos’ freight system rather than being shaped solely from a regulatory perspective.