Lagos APC governorship candidate Obafemi Hamzat has put an ambitious transport expansion at the centre of his 2027 campaign where he promised 4,000 compressed natural gas buses and 77 electric ferries to move millions of residents more efficiently across the state.
Hamzat, the incumbent Deputy Governor, unveiled the proposals during Sunday’s governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, saying the plan would reduce commuting time and give residents more opportunity to work, rest and spend time with their families.
He projected that the 4,000 CNG buses would carry one million passengers daily, while additional bus rapid transit (BRT) lanes would connect Marina with Epe and Badagry.
The proposal represents a significant expansion of Lagos’s existing bus network. Hamzat disclosed that the BRT system had recorded 77 million passenger journeys since its introduction, operating with about 1,000 buses. His plan would quadruple that fleet, with the stated ambition of increasing daily passenger movement to one million.
“The plan is to give back time to the citizens to plan, to rest, to spend with their family,” he said.
Water transport also features prominently in the proposal. Hamzat promised 77 electric ferries and an integrated payment arrangement that would allow passengers to use ferries, trains and BRT buses with one Cowry card.
He disclosed that more than four million people already had Cowry cards, presenting the existing system as a foundation for a transport network that connects different modes of movement under a single payment platform.
Such integration could reduce the difficulty of changing between buses, trains and ferries. However, its success would depend on reliable services, coordinated routes, adequate terminals and affordable fares.
Expanding the number of vehicles alone will not resolve congestion if buses and ferries cannot operate efficiently or connect commuters to their final destinations.
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Hamzat also linked his transport plans to the need to improve residents’ access to healthcare.
He disclosed that Lagos had more than 300 primary healthcare centres, but the government planned to increase the number of flagship facilities from 87 to 150, with all 150 operating round the clock.
He added that additional hospitals were under construction to improve access to medical services.
The proposed increase would add 63 round-the-clock flagship primary healthcare centres to the existing 87. This could improve access to basic treatment, maternal care and emergency attention, particularly in communities where residents struggle to reach hospitals.
However, Hamzat did not disclose the estimated cost of the transport expansion, its implementation timetable or the funding arrangement for the proposed buses and ferries. He also gave no specific completion schedule for the healthcare facilities.
These details will matter as voters assess the feasibility of the promises. Lagos needs not only more transport vehicles and healthcare buildings, but also sufficient personnel, maintenance funding, dependable electricity, functional roads and affordable services.
Hamzat’s proposals therefore present a substantial test for the APC candidate: whether his administration can turn the numbers announced during the debate into services that residents can actually access and afford.
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