News
Lagos Slashes eHailing Licence Fee to N8m
Lagos State government has offered a duty incentive to the operators of e-hailing platforms like Uber, Bolt, by reducing their statutory operational licencing fee and renewal fee by 20 per cent.
This implies that each e-hailing firm will now pay N8 million per 1,000 cars fresh licencing and renewal, instead of N10 million initially announced.
The state government also reversed the plan to impose a 10 per cent service charge on every trip made through e-hailing platforms.
Frederic Oladeinde, commissioner for Transport, made this known to newsmen, after a three-hour meeting of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, some executive council members and e-hailing operators at Lagos House, Marina.
From the communique read out after the meeting, the enforcement of the new regulations will now take off from August 27, 2020, instead of August 20 initially announced by the Government.
The parties, Oladehinde said, also agreed on the procurement of comprehensive insurance by the e-hailing companies to cover their drivers and passengers.
He was quoted as saying, “The regulations for the e-hailing companies will take effect from August 27, 2020. We have given an additional one-week extension for all operators to comply. Given that most of the drivers on the e-hailing platforms have third party insurance, the companies will have comprehensive insurance for each driver while the driver is working with them. The insurance will also cover passengers, which amounts to double insurance for the driver.
“We also discussed the issue of service tax, which was initially defined as 10 per cent charge. We have come to resolution that the levy will become a flat fee of N20 per trip. We no longer call it service tax; we now call it Road Improvement Fund, which will be levied per trip. We also came to resolution that there will be reduction in operational licence by 20 per cent. Likewise, the renewal fee has been reduced by 20 per cent, going forward.”
Oladehinde said the State Government had granted all drivers on the e-hailing platforms an extension of 90 days to perfect all documents and licences, required for operation, including driver’s licence and Lagos State Residents Registration Agency cards.
The Commissioner disclosed that the Government would create a special office for the drivers to fast track necessary registration and documentation before the deadline.
Speaking on the controversial issue of data, Oladehinde said, “We are not asking the e-hailing companies to release detailed data. All we are asking from them data for trip movement, so that we can calculate the right charge and levy due to the Government. This data is to be supplied every week.”
Oladehinde said there was no burden of additional levy on passengers that will be using the e-hailing services, noting that residents’ interest has been protected by the Government.
Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to collaborating with key stakeholders in the global information and broadcasting sector to strengthen Nigeria’s information dissemination framework.
This pledge was made on Monday during discussions with prominent broadcast and information companies at the ongoing National Association of Broadcasters Show 2025 in Las Vegas, United States.
Speaking at the event, Idris said the Bola Tinubu administration remained committed to adopting cutting-edge technologies and acquiring state-of-the-art equipment for Federal Government media organisations to ensure effective service delivery.
“Strategic communication is essential to ensuring that the policies of the Renewed Hope Agenda reach the Nigerian people effectively,” he stated.
The minister also highlighted the government’s plans to invest in upgrading facilities and replacing outdated infrastructure in radio, television, and other media institutions.
According to the minister, this will improve the dissemination of credible, balanced, and objective information to the public.
Idris further said that the government would explore collaborations and partnerships that would allow local broadcasters to benefit from emerging technologies and industry-specific training opportunities.
The minister had visited exhibitions showcasing hardware and software solutions during the event.
Items exhibited included broadcast antennas, transmitters, and studio equipment, which are pivotal for enhancing broadcasting capabilities.
Thomas King, Chairman of KINTRONIC Laboratories and Enrico Vaccari, Chief Operating Officer of Axel Technology SRL, had expressed their organisations’ readiness to partner with the Nigerian government.
Gianluca Baccalini, Chief Operating Officer of System Engineering Solutions and Khiran Keerodhur, Chief Operating Officer of Thomson Broadcast, among others, also expressed commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s broadcasting landscape and regulatory agencies.
Idris is leading a delegation of chief executives of agencies in his ministry to the NAB event.
Members of the delegation included the Managing Director of NAN, Ali Muhammad Ali, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Television Authority, Salihu Dembos.
Others are the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu; and Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Lekan Fadolapo.
Also in the delegation is the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace.The forum, NAN reports, is to strengthen broadcast collaborations and form strategic alliances. The NAB event, running from Saturday to Wednesday, has as theme: “The Technology, The Trend, The Future.”
NAN also reports that the forum is focusing on a range of topics, including Artificial Intelligence, cloud visualisation, creator economy, as well as sports production and streaming.
In a glowing testimonial that reveals the rising influence of Konga 103.7FM beyond Lagos, a business merchant from Kano, Mr. Ishaku Mohammed, shared how the station’s late-night programming helped him overcome insomnia and reconnect with hope.
Mr. Mohammed, who was in Lagos to attend a wedding, stumbled on KongaFM by chance, but the impact, he says, was life-changing.
“KongaFM solved my insomnia. It was like a miracle. I tuned in around 9 pm and left the radio on. The inspirational songs and messages gave me peace and helped me sleep properly again, for the first time in a long while,” said Mr. Mohammed.
Having returned to Kano, he now streams the station regularly on kongafm.com, calling it “a sound of hope in changing times.”
The testimonial has been widely shared on social media, drawing attention to the station’s unique blend of entertainment and emotionally resonant content. With increasing listenership on-air and via digital streams across Nigeria and, by extension, the world, Konga 103.7FM is quickly becoming a household name in the country’s evolving media space.
Speaking on the impact, Ifeoma Ajumobi, Head of Konga TV & Radio, noted: “Mr. Mohammed is exactly why we do what we do. At KongaFM, we’re not just filling the airwaves with music or talk, but filling a gap in people’s lives 24hrs daily. Whether it’s easing stress, igniting hope, as a domain of knowledge, or simply keeping people company through the night, our goal is to be the voice that truly resonates.
“We are building a station that listens, heals, inspires, and leads. And as we continue expanding our reach, our mission remains clear: to be Nigeria’s most human radio experience. One voice, one story, one soul at a time.”
KongaFM continues to deliver engaging programming in entertainment, inspiration, commerce, and culture. With a growing footprint in northern and southern Nigeria and a commitment to reflecting the voices of real people, the AI tech-driven station is positioning itself as a trailblazer in 21st-century African radio broadcasting.
Advertising Offences Tribunal (AOT) has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Captain Ado Sanusi, managing director, Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, for failing to appear before the tribunal in an ongoing case concerning alleged violations of Nigerian advertising laws.
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) filed a 22-count charge against Captain Sanusi and Aero Contractors, accusing them of exposing advertisements targeted at the Nigerian market without obtaining the necessary approval from the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP). This, according to ARCON, contravenes established Nigerian advertising regulations.
The case was initially scheduled for hearing on February 26, 2025. However, during the proceedings, Captain Sanusi was absent, prompting his legal representatives to assure the tribunal of his presence at the next hearing while also pleading for leniency. Despite these assurances, the defendant failed to appear on the adjourned date.
Given Captain Sanusi’s continued absence, the Advertising Offences Tribunal, in line with its mandate to enforce compliance with advertising regulations, issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The tribunal has ordered that he be presented at its next sitting, scheduled for May 8, 2025.
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