The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has urged Swedish bus manufacturer Scania to establish a local manufacturing plant in Lagos to help reduce the escalating cost of procuring high-capacity buses for the city’s public transportation system.
This call was made by LAMATA’s Managing Director, Engr. Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, during a meeting with a delegation from the Swedish Honorary Consulate led by Antonia Adenaya, Regional Director for North and West Africa.
The meeting, aimed at discussing sustainable transportation initiatives, included representatives from Scania, the International Council for Swedish Industries, and Business Sweden.
In a statement shared on LAMATA’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, Akinajo highlighted the need for Scania to expand its partnership with Lagos beyond bus sales, focusing on local capacity building and knowledge transfer. She emphasized that establishing a local manufacturing facility would not only lower procurement costs but also improve the efficiency of operations within Lagos’ public transport system.
“Following the huge cost of procuring high-capacity buses for passenger operations, Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, admonished Scania, a Swedish bus manufacturer, to set up a manufacturing outlet in the city,” read the statement. Akinajo stressed that such a move would be key to achieving long-term sustainability in the city’s transport sector.
The meeting also touched on the next steps following the completion of alternative fuel studies in Lagos and explored how the Swedish community could further contribute to the city’s development. Akinajo expressed appreciation for the Swedish delegation’s continued support and recalled a recent study tour to Sweden, which provided insights into the biofuel industry.
In response, Antonia Adenaya commended the formation of a steering committee for the biogas initiative in Lagos and urged for concrete actions to follow. She also discussed potential collaborations between Swedish firms and Lagos to further bolster the city’s sustainable transport goals.
In December 2023, the Lagos State Government announced plans to explore the use of biofuel in public transportation as part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This initiative is part of a partnership between the state government and Swedfund, a Swedish development finance institution, which is supporting feasibility studies for the project.
Swedfund is working with CPCS Transcom Limited and Nexant Consulting Limited to evaluate the potential impact of alternative fuels on Lagos’ public transport system.
The exploration of biofuel use aligns with Lagos State’s long-term goal of ensuring that 52% of the buses in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system are powered by clean energy by 2050.
This move is also a key component of the Lagos State Transport Policy, which aims to minimize the environmental impact of the city’s transport network while improving sustainability and efficiency.