Lagos mandates QR codes, driver tags for all ride-hailing cars

The Lagos State Government is implementing a mandatory registration and barcode system for all taxi and ride-hailing drivers to enhance passenger safety and regulatory oversight.

The new policy requires all drivers to be registered and wear official identification tags on their shirts. Following verification, vehicles will be issued QR codes that must be pasted onto the taxis. This initiative is a continuation of a 2013 state transport law aimed at identifying drivers and reducing crime.

“It is a gradual process that has begun,” Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, Director of Transport Operations at the Lagos Ministry of Transport, said on the sidelines of a safety conference organised by ride-hailing giant Bolt last week. “All taxi drivers must have their tags on their shirts. We will tag them and their respective vehicles and confirm taxi operations in the state.”

Ojowuro explained that after successful driver and vehicle confirmation, barcodes will be supplied to drivers. He noted the system is already being implemented on some commercial buses and is now being cascaded to the ride-hailing sector. “This is the next step,” he added.

Lagos has consistently tightened its control over the state’s transportation sector. During the pandemic, the government banned commercial motorcycles, a move that heavily impacted ride-hailing startups like Gokada. The state extended this ban in 2022.

More recently, in June 2024, the government mandated that ride-hailing companies share real-time trip data. While most operators complied, Uber initially defaulted, citing data privacy concerns, highlighting ongoing regulatory tensions.

As the new barcode system is rolled out, Ojowuro urged passengers to be vigilant. “We are conducting advocacy for passengers to take a picture of the registration number and share [it],” he said.