AMID the hike in the pump price of petrol, the Federal Government has urged Nigerians to consider the use of bicycles as alternative means of transportation.

According to a report, Director, Road Transport and Mass Transit Administration in the Federal Ministry of Transportation Musa Ibrahim made the call during a sensitisation meeting held in Abuja, aimed at highlighting the importance of cycling as a transport system.

Ibrahim noted that a shift to bicycles would reduce road traffic crashes and allow for a cleaner environment, adding that the meeting was in accordance with the World Bicycle Day celebrated on June 3.

He highlighted the “uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle as a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport” which fosters environmental stewardship and health.

He also stated that cycling could serve as a means of eradicating poverty and promoting good health and sustainable development.

While Ibrahim focused on the health and environmental benefits of cycling, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Oyo State Joshua Adekanye urged Nigerians to adopt cycling as an alternative means of transportation to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy.

“Use of bicycle is economically cheap because the cost of a bicycle is not as expensive as using a car or motorcycle,” Adekanye said.

Following the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria, there is an upsurge in the price of petrol and, consequently, cost of transportation.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) initially increased the petrol pump price from less than N200 to over N500 per litre in June and effected a further hike to N617 in July.

In most parts of the country, transport fares rose by at least 50 per cent. The ICIR reported that residents had resorted to trekking long distances to reduce costs, while commercial vehicle operators suffered from low patronage.

Many car owners now rely more on public transportation for mobility, including John Musa, who resides in the Life Camp area of Abuja.

“One thing is, I stay indoors a lot now. Except the trip is necessary. Sometimes, I even use public transport, depending on the distance because this fuel price is now something else,” Musa said.

Others, such as Victoria Ani, told The ICIR that the rising cost of petrol could further push Nigerians to seek greener pastures in other countries, a term now widely referred to as ‘japa’.

“It’s quite difficult and painful to have such percentage increase on the amount of PMS which has resulted in increase in the cost of other commodities in the market. I will not park my car, but if I get fed up, I will sell the car and japa,” she said.

Less than two months after removing subsidy, the Federal Government announced that monthly fuel consumption in the country dropped by 18.5 million litres.

How feasible is cycling as alternative means of transportation in FCT?

Despite calls for the use of bicycles by the Federal Government, residents of the FCT are unsure of the feasibility of the recommendation.

For Abuja resident James Emmanuel who owns a bicycle, there are more risks of road accidents from riding a bicycle along the same highways as other vehicles.

“There is the risk of accidents. There is danger in using it to convey yourself from Nyanya, where I stay, to my workplace in Wuse. The speed with which drivers drive on the highway will likely expose someone using bicycles to any form of accident,” he said.

Others cited stress, time involved, and possible harassment from traffic management officials as reasons why bicycles as a major form of transportation is unlikely to work.

“There is no bicycle lane in Nigeria. They will not even allow us use it,” FCT resident Mustapha Usman said.

Like Usman, many other residents of Abuja are sceptical about the use of bicycles along highways in the city, as several vehicles are restricted from plying major roads.

In 2019, the FCT Ministerial Task Team on Free Flow of Traffic and the Department of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) began enforcement of a ban on tricycles along Abuja highways.

Chairman of the Enforcement and Monitoring team Ikharo Attah said the ban was in line with the transportation masterplan of the FCT.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) also banned motorcycles from highways in the city. At least 432 seized motorcycles were crushed in 2022, a development which sparked a protest in Abuja.

The ICIR contacted the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on the feasibility of the recommended transport system.

FRSC Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) Bisi Kazeem, who promised to address questions by The ICIR on the topic, is yet to respond at the time of filing this report.

The ICIR also contacted the FCTA Deputy Director on Mass Transit Okey Nwaegbu to ascertain if the FCT has provisions for bicycles along highways, as the Acting Director, FCT Road Traffic Service Aliyu Bodinga Wadata could not be reached on the phone.

Nwaegbu is also yet to respond to calls or messages as at the time of filing this report.

Ijeoma OPARA

Author Page

Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.