The importation of motorcycles, popularly known as Okada in Nigeria has fallen to N212.64 billion in 2022 representing a 42 per cent decrease from N367.39 billion spent in 2021.
The National Bureau of Statistics disclosed this in its Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics report which also showed that the importation bill on motorcycles fell quarter-on-quarter by 22 per cent to N46.43 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022 (Q4’22) from N59.63 billion in Q3’22.
The downward trend was reversed in Q3 ’22 as import bills on motorcycles rose by 86 per cent to N59.63 billion and down by 22 per cent to N46.43 billion in Q4’22.
The PUNCH observes that this fall could be a result of the Okada ban in a few states of the country, especially Lagos State which records the highest number of its importation.
Recall, in May 2022, the Lagos State government banned the operations of commercial motorcycles in six Local Government Areas in the state which consisted of Ikeja, Surulere, Eti-Osa, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island and Apapa and later extended the ban to four more LGAs –Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Shomolu, and Mushin.
The government announced that the ban was indefinite and total.
Over 2000 motorcycles of defiant riders were seized on the authorised date.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, noted that about 5,000 motorcycles had earlier been crushed in Q1 22.
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