The Federal Government according to presidential aide, Tolu Ogunlesi, has approved a Federal Roads and Bridges Tolling Policy and Regulations.
According to Ogunlesi, who is a Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, the government made the decision at a Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Ogunlesi quoted the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to have said that the regulations were developed after extensive consultations with various stakeholders within and outside the government, including transport unions like National Union of Road Transport Workers, Road Transport Employers’ Association Of Nigeria, amongst others.
He disclosed the recommended tolling fees in the approved policy and regulations to include “Cars: N200; SUVs: N300; Private Buses: N300; Commercial Buses: N150; Luxury Buses and Trucks: N500”.
The statement titled, ‘Nigeria Cabinet approves Federal Tolling Policy and Regulations’ also said “fees at existing tolled roads (Lagos and Abuja Airport Toll Plazas, and the Lekki and Ikoyi Toll Plazas) were taken into consideration” in reaching the new recommended pricing.
The Presidential aide in the statement listed 10 highlights of the new Federal Tolling Policy as follows:
“It will be an Open Tolling system (just like the one that used to be in existence in the country), instead of a Closed Tolling system. (A Closed Tolling system means that you pay per distance traveled (‘distance-dependent’), while Open Tolling means you pay a fixed/flat rate that is not dependent on distance traveled).
“Only dual carriageways owned by the Federal Government will be eligible for tolling by the Federal Government. (Of the 35,000km of Federal Roads in existence in the country, only 5,050km are dual carriageway).
Federal carriageways that are single, i.e. undivided highways will not be tolled. The only exceptions here will be some bridges, which are listed in the Policy.
“Toll Revenues will be used to maintain the roads and also to repay investors who have invested in building or completing a road under the Highway Development Management Initiative.
“Electronic Toll Collection and Management systems will be prioritized over Cash systems among others.
Bicycles, Tricycles, Motorcycles, Diplomatic vehicles, Military and Paramilitary vehicles will all be exempted from tolling.
