The Commissioner for Transport, Dr Anthony Luke, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Uyo, describing the electronic ticketing scheme as one of the transport sector’s achievements under Governor Umo Eno’s administration.

According to Luke, tickets are sold daily to commercial tricycle and minibus operators at rates of ₦200 and ₦300, respectively. He said the system generates approximately ₦2 million a day, with collections paid directly into government accounts through the Treasury Single Account arrangement.

The commissioner said the ministry had recruited 143 enforcement officers to support compliance and ensure operators pay the required fees. He added that electronic transactions had made it easier for the government to track collections and reduce revenue leakages.

Luke said the introduction of e-ticketing also helped the ministry identify gaps in payment compliance among registered transport operators. He cited records showing that 5,794 tricycle operators had been registered, although he did not provide a breakdown of how many were previously failing to pay their daily tickets.

He further claimed that the system had contributed to a 109 per cent increase in the state’s internally generated revenue. However, the figures provided in the report do not independently establish how much of the overall increase came specifically from transport ticket sales.

The commissioner attributed the system’s implementation to collaboration between the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Science and Digital Economy, led by Ekpenyong Udo Ekpenyong, whose ministry provided technical support.

Ekpenyong said surveillance cameras installed around Uyo were also being used to monitor commercial transport activities and support passenger safety. He argued that the technology could help security agencies identify tricycle operators and investigate incidents involving commercial vehicles.

The state government believes that combining electronic payments, enforcement and surveillance will improve revenue collection and strengthen oversight of commercial transport operations.

However, the long-term effectiveness of the scheme will depend on transparent revenue reporting, consistent enforcement and safeguards to ensure that surveillance technology is used appropriately.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia