Key points
- The FCTA Transportation Secretariat has partnered with the National Union of Dispatch Riders and Mail Operators of Nigeria to identify and eliminate criminal elements operating as dispatch riders.
- The partnership is supported by a membership database, identification portal and unique body numbers for registered riders.
- The FCTA said the system would help distinguish legitimate riders from unidentified operators who may use dispatch services to conceal illegal activities.
- NUDRMON said dispatch riding provides livelihoods for thousands of Nigerian youths and supports businesses and households across the FCT.
- The union called for a more harmonised regulatory framework to address multiple permits and other operational challenges.
Main Story
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has partnered with the National Union of Dispatch Riders and Mail Operators of Nigeria to identify criminal elements operating within the dispatch-riding sector and strengthen security in the territory.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCTA Transportation Secretariat, Chinedum Elechi, disclosed this during a meeting with members of the union in Abuja on Wednesday. He said the partnership followed the development of a membership database, identification portal and unique identification numbers designed to distinguish registered riders from unidentified operators.
Elechi said the presence of unidentified dispatch riders operating in the FCT was a security concern, particularly where illegal items could be concealed in delivery boxes. He commended the union for developing the identification system, describing it as crucial to distinguishing genuine riders from criminal elements.
The Issues
Dispatch riding has become an important source of employment for young Nigerians and a critical part of the logistics ecosystem, supporting restaurants, pharmacies, e-commerce businesses, financial institutions and households. However, the sector faces concerns including criminal activities by unregistered operators, traffic violations, accidents, multiple operational permits and the absence of a unified identification system.
What’s Being Said
Elechi pledged the support of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the Transportation Secretariat for the initiative, saying stronger collaboration would enable authorities to identify and isolate criminal elements while protecting legitimate riders.
The NUDRMON National President, Emmanuel Kwaghdega, said the initiative was based on the principle of “one ride, one identity and one verifiable body number”. He said credible data would strengthen security, accountability and responsible riding while providing government with reliable information for planning and regulation.
What’s Next
The union is expected to continue building and maintaining its database of registered riders, while the FCTA Transportation Secretariat works with the organisation to strengthen regulation and security within the sector.
Kwaghdega said greater government involvement could transform the initiative from a union-led project into a collaborative solution to transportation and security challenges in the FCT. He also called for engagement towards harmonising multiple operational permits into a more efficient and rider-friendly framework.
Bottom Line
The FCTA-NUDRMON partnership seeks to combine rider identification with stronger government oversight, making it easier to distinguish legitimate dispatch operators from criminals while improving security, accountability and regulation in Abuja’s growing delivery sector.
