40,000 okada riders will be jobless due to new Lagos traffic law

Commercial motorcycle riders, popularly called Okada riders, under the Nigerians Auto Bike Commercial Owners and Workers Association (NACOWA) have said about 40,000 of its members will be forced out of business by the new Lagos State Traffic Law.

The leader of the association, Mr. Aliyu Wamba, said that the socio-economic and security problems loomed, with the law taking okadas off about 95 per cent of roads in the state.


“NACOWA has about 40,000 members in Lagos alone. These members have wives and children. If the government goes ahead with the law, it means those to be affected will run into hundreds of thousands. There are about six major riders’ associations and NACOWA is the second largest. If the members of the associations are put together, you can now imagine the number of people the law will make jobless. As the economy is, Okada remains the largest employer of labour” he said.


Source: Businessday