Lagos Govt demands qualitative Driver’s education from driving school

By Adetayo Omotoyosi Adeolu

The Lagos state government has urged driving school operators in the state to provide the required and qualitative driver’s education and desist from any activity capable of undermining the government’s efforts to improve the traffic situation and road culture among the motoring public on Lagos roads.

Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, gave the charge at the 2025 Train-the-Trainer Workshop organised by Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI) for driving school operators and instructors operating in the state.

The workshop themed, “Drivers Education: Panacea to Economic Growth and Development” was recently held at STO Resource Centre, CBD, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

Osiyemi said, “Lagos, with over 20 million residents and nearly six million registered vehicles, witnesses more than 15 million daily motorised trips and if this scale of movement is not properly managed by competent drivers, it can lead to public health crises, traffic paralysis and massive productivity loss. But if properly governed, Lagos transport ecosystem will continue to drive economic growth not just for the state but for the country and the West African subregion.”

According to him, the workshop is not an isolated event, but a deliberate and strategic response to both global goals and Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration development strategy that echoes Lagos State’s ambitious policy and planning framework.

At the global level, it is aligned with the United Nations Decade of Action on road safety advocacy campaign which emphasises qualitative driver’s education as a crucial component of broader efforts to reduce road traffic injuries and fatalities.

The Commissioner commended the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute for its continuously evolving service platform to meet public transportation safety demands, such as the newly introduced computer-based recertification test, harmonised three-window training, data-backed training processes and the regular Ember months safety advocacy campaign.

In her speech, the General Manager of Lagos State Drivers’ Institute, Mrs. Tiamiyu Afusat, stated that the workshop would offer a unique opportunity for stakeholders in the transport sector to deliberate on government policies and issues affecting the transport sub-sector in the country to improve the quality of service delivery.

She said, “By investing in driver’s education, we are not only teaching drivers how to operate a vehicle, but we are instilling in them the sense of responsibility and awareness that extends to every decision they make on the road. This includes understanding the effects of impaired driving, driving techniques, and the need to respect the rights of other road users, including pedestrians and cyclists.”

The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Olalekan Bakare Oki, represented by Quarter Master, Jubrill Oshodi, encouraged participants to see the workshop as a driving force towards compliance with traffic laws and regulations in the state through the dispensation of a qualitative driver’s education.

The event attracted top government officials from the Ministry of Transportation, road unions and about 200 Driving School Operators across the state.