NIGERIA
Specialist public transport optimisation software provider Optibus will provide the planning, scheduling, and rostering software for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Lagos, Nigeria, as part of the provision of an intelligent transportation system (ITS) by regional technology and IT specialist CapitalCore. The move marks the creation of Nigeria’s first ‘AI-powered’ BRT system and is said to be a significant step forward in modernising public transport in Lagos State.
Optibus says that there are many challenges facing the city’s BRT system, and since 2000, Lagos’ population has doubled to nearly 16 million, making it one of the world’s fastest growing cities and the most populous urban area in Africa. Despite relatively low rates of car ownership (48% of households own a vehicle), the scale of the car-owning population has overwhelmed the city’s infrastructure, meaning that commuters can spend up to three hours in traffic each day and vehicle emissions contribute to Lagos’ position as the 10th most polluted city in Africa.
At the same time, demand for public transport among the 52% who don’t own a car is immense and growing, which has led to a highly fragmented, unregulated transport sector, reports Optibus, and one which comprises many independent private operators of minibuses (danfo), midi-buses (molue), and other vehicles but which lacks the standardised routes or timetables needed to provide reliable services.
To address the issue, Lagos has embarked on a comprehensive plan to use public transport to foster efficient urban growth. Effective bus rapid transit is central to the strategy, and with support from the World Bank, the Lagos BRT opened in 2008 as Africa’s first bus rapid transit system. The city is now working to upgrade its BRT services in order to increase ridership from the current 4.5 million passengers per year, and plans to reduce wait times, improve the passenger experience, and introduce 2,000 new buses to the BRT fleet alongside the adoption of new planning and scheduling optimisation software.
The city says the adoption of Optibus’ optimisation software marks the historic transition of Lagos’ BRT to a fully digital platform for the first time and the creation of the first bus rapid transit system in Nigeria powered by artificial intelligence and optimisation algorithms. By replacing traditional methods with Optibus’ cloud computing and automation capabilities, the BRT’s operational teams say they expect to achieve unprecedented speed and agility in evaluating alternative service plans and choosing the optimal option for incorporating more vehicles and supporting the city’s mission to boost ridership, reduce emissions, and accommodate the growing population.
“Effective public transportation is a key enabler of sustainable urban development that benefits people, economies, and the environment. Optibus’ software is poised to set a new standard for mobility innovation in Nigeria, introducing technologies that will make passenger transport in Lagos State a precedent in the region,” said CEO and co-founder of Optibus Amos Haggiag.
Managing Director of CapitalCore Outsourcing Endurance Umenzeh-Nwauwah added: “The roll-out of Optibus’ software at the Lagos BRT will demonstrate the impact of new optimisation technologies in the region and improve access to these tools not only in Nigeria, but across other African nations.”
