Lagos Transport Authority to Penalize Cash Payments on Regulated Buses Starting Aug. 1

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) announced that, from 1 August 2026, any commuter who pays cash for rides on regulated bus services will be subject to prosecution. Cash collection is classified as an economic crime, and both passengers and drivers who accept cash could face up to seven years’ imprisonment, according to LAMATA’s Head of Legal Idris Akinola.

Commuters must use the approved electronic Cowry Card, purchasable at designated bus stops and train stations, to protect fare revenues and sustain public‑transport operations. LAMATA urged passengers to report cash‑demanding staff and warned that operators such as Teejay Motors have already trained drivers to refuse cash. The agency said strict enforcement is intended to improve accountability, transparency and the financial viability of Lagos’s public‑transport system.