The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has announced that commuters who pay cash for fares on regulated bus services will face arrest and prosecution from August 1, 2026, as the state government intensifies enforcement of its cashless fare payment policy.
The authority said the enforcement, which previously targeted bus drivers and ground staff collecting cash, will now be extended to passengers who knowingly pay cash for their journeys.
According to LAMATA, bus drivers and ground staff caught collecting cash have in the past been arrested, prosecuted and, in some cases, jailed. From August 1, commuters who offer cash as payment will also be liable to prosecution.
In a statement on Monday signed by the Head of Corporate Communication, Kolawole Ojelabi, LAMATA said Cowry Cards, the approved payment medium for regulated bus services, can be purchased at designated bus stops as well as the Blue and Red Line train stations.
The authority described cash collection within the regulated bus system as an economic crime against the state, noting that it undermines the integrity of the fare collection system, deprives operators of legitimate revenue and weakens the sustainability of public transport services.
“Cash collection within the regulated bus system constitutes an economic crime against the State, as it undermines the integrity of the fare collection system, deprives operators of legitimate revenue, and weakens the sustainability of public transport services,” the statement said.
LAMATA explained that regulated bus operating companies under its supervision have consistently complained about the adverse impact of cash collection on their operations.
It said the resulting revenue losses have made it increasingly difficult for operators to procure spare parts, maintain buses, restore faulty vehicles to service and meet critical obligations, including the payment of staff salaries.
The authority maintained that protecting fare revenue is essential to improving public transport services across Lagos, saying adequate revenue would enable operators to recover operating costs, return more buses to service and provide commuters with safer, more reliable and efficient transportation.
It therefore urged commuters to comply with the cashless fare payment policy by paying only through approved electronic channels and encouraged passengers to report any driver or staff member demanding cash payments.
Reports can be made through the agency’s email, info@lamata-ng.com, or via its telephone lines, 09099526282 and 09115526282.
LAMATA reiterated that the success and sustainability of Lagos’ regulated public transport system depend on the collective cooperation of both operators and commuters in safeguarding public resources and ensuring transparency in fare collection.
(The Whistler)