Enugu Rolls Out BRT Buses, Bans Buses and Tricycles on Key Highways (Full List)

Enugu State has officially banned the operation of tricycles and buses on selected highways to make way for its new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. The announcement was made by the state’s Commissioner for Transport, Obi Ozor, during a consultative meeting with transport unions and leaders at the ministry’s headquarters on Monday.

The highways affected include Okpara Avenue–Abakaliki Road, New Haven Junction–Naira Triangle, Emene Airport Road, Ogui Road, Chime Avenue–Naira Triangle, New Haven Junction–Bisala Road, Rangers Avenue–WAEC–Nkpokiti, Zik’s Avenue Roads, Presidential Road, and Agbani Road. Ozor explained that these routes will now serve as dedicated BRT corridors in line with Governor Peter Mbah’s vision to transform Enugu into a modern, multimodal city. Taxis will continue to operate on these routes, while tricycles, deemed unsafe for high-speed highways, will be reassigned to last-mile connectivity roles.

Ozor emphasized that the reform aims to reorganize the transport system rather than eliminate jobs. Under the new arrangement, BRT buses will operate on primary roads, yellow buses on secondary routes, and tricycles will focus on shorter routes.

The state has procured 200 Compressed Natural Gas-powered BRT buses and 4,000 electric taxis, with the first 1,000 taxis expected within three months. The government has also constructed 84 new bus shelters to support a safer and more comfortable transit network. Each BRT bus features padded seats, air conditioning, WiFi, and safety monitoring, while fares have been discounted by 47 percent.

Transport unions interested in participating in BRT operations are invited to submit proposals and financial models for evaluation. The state’s electronic fare system, the Ije Card, will be expanded to reach five million residents within 90 days. A joint committee of ministry officials and union representatives has been inaugurated to finalize operational plans ahead of the full BRT rollout, with the launch date to be announced soon.

Union leaders welcomed the reforms, expressing support for a safer and more efficient transport system. Representatives of tricycle riders, numbering 18,000 in the state, also acknowledged the government’s commitment to reorganizing rather than displacing workers, while urging that alternative transport options be made available.