LASTMA Celebrates 25 Years of Traffic Management Excellence with Unveiling of Commemorative Emblem

LASTMA Celebrates 25 Years of Traffic Management Excellence with Unveiling of Commemorative Emblem

By Oluwole Oluwaseun Adeola

Lagos, Nigeria — April 29, 2025
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has commenced its 25th anniversary celebrations with the unveiling of a commemorative emblem, symbolizing a bold new era for one of Nigeria’s most prominent public service agencies. The event, held at LASTMA Headquarters in Oshodi, drew stakeholders from across the transportation sector, civil society, media, and government as the agency marked a quarter-century of transforming road discipline in Africa’s most populous city.

In a spirited press briefing, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA, described the emblem as a symbol of endurance, growth, and continuous service to the people of Lagos. “This emblem is more than a design—it tells our story,” Bakare-Oki declared. “It captures the journey of a resilient agency, forged by the daily sacrifices of men and women who wear this uniform with pride and honour.”

A Legacy Rooted in Reform

Established in the year 2000 under the administration of then-Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, LASTMA was conceived to address the worsening traffic challenges that had plagued Lagos for decades. What began with a foundational directive through Head of Service Circular HOS/12/2000 has since evolved into a robust institution supported by key legislation, including the Lagos Road Traffic Law and the Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 (as amended).

Over the past 25 years, LASTMA has grown into a critical component of Lagos’ urban planning and mobility infrastructure. From traffic regulation to road safety education and incident response, the agency has earned recognition for its discipline, innovation, and unrelenting commitment to public service.

“From Management to Prediction” — A New Mandate

In addition to the emblem launch, LASTMA officials used the occasion to unveil a series of forward-thinking policies and programs that signal a paradigm shift in how traffic is managed in Lagos. According to Mr. Bakare-Oki, the agency has transitioned from a traditional traffic management authority to what he calls an “incident management agency.”

“We are no longer waiting for problems to occur. We are identifying them in advance and preventing them,” he said. “From relying on manual control, we are now embracing predictive traffic intelligence, deploying smart technologies, and redefining what traffic safety and efficiency mean in the 21st century.”

This transformation includes the introduction of digital tools such as body-worn Traffic Monitoring Systems (TMS) and smart surveillance infrastructure, designed to reduce human interference and increase operational transparency. Although current TMS devices face technical limitations like short recording times and storage congestion, Bakare-Oki disclosed that a phased upgrade is already underway.