The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LSLGA) has empowered eight residents of Lagos Island by providing them with vehicles under the LagRide Partner Programme, a government-backed initiative designed to create employment opportunities and promote economic empowerment through Lagos’ e-mobility sector.
The first group of beneficiaries received their vehicles after successfully completing training at the LagRide Drivers Academy. The handover ceremony took place in Lagos on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, with LagRide Nigeria Chairman, Chief Diana Chen, present to officially welcome the new Captains.
The initiative was funded by Mr Bashir Are, Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, who selected the beneficiaries from Lagos Island as part of what he described as the first phase of a broader empowerment programme.
According to LSLGA, the successful applicants emerged through a competitive interview and assessment process before completing comprehensive training at the LagRide Drivers Academy. The authority also covered the full cost of both the training and the vehicles, removing financial barriers that often prevent young Nigerians from accessing opportunities in the formal transport sector.
Applicants who did not meet the required standard during the selection process will receive additional training and may be considered for future cohorts of the programme.
Following their onboarding, the beneficiaries will operate as LagRide Captains under the platform’s Drive-to-Own programme. The initiative allows drivers to earn a sustainable income while gradually working towards full ownership of their vehicles.
LagRide aims to deploy 3,500 vehicles through the programme with support from public and private sector partners, creating more employment opportunities while expanding access to reliable transportation across Lagos.
Speaking during the vehicle handover ceremony, LSLGA Chief Executive Officer Mr Bashir Are said the programme was created to address unemployment by providing qualified young people with the financial support needed to enter the transportation industry.
He explained that many aspiring drivers could not afford the initial capital required to join the platform, prompting the authority to fund their participation.
The initial capital required to be onboarded was never going to come from these young men, so we provided that intervention financially so that they can have good employment. Lagos is a mega city. My agency runs the largest gaming and fintech conference on the continent every year, and when those delegates arrive we do not want them driven around in poor vehicles. This is also employment for our own people, and we have a great deal of unemployment and underemployment in this country. These Captains are from Lagos Island Local Government, and they can now take care of their own families. Let me be clear about one thing. This is not a project. It is a programme, and it continues.
Before receiving their vehicles, all beneficiaries completed intensive training covering platform operations, customer service, road safety, professional conduct, vehicle maintenance, financial responsibility, and brand representation.
The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority said the programme reflects its commitment to creating sustainable employment opportunities while supporting the growth of Lagos’ technology-driven mobility ecosystem.
