The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has introduced drone operations targeted at enhancing traffic monitoring, strengthening security surveillance, and improving public safety across Lagos.
The initiative represents a shift from conventional traffic control methods to intelligence-driven, predictive operations powered by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Adebayo Taofiq, Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment at LASTMA.
According to the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the drones will provide real-time aerial oversight, allowing quicker interventions during traffic congestion, accidents, and other emergencies. He described the deployment as a watershed moment that would help reduce travel times, minimize accidents, and promote a more disciplined motoring culture.
“In a decisive leap towards technological advancement, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has officially commenced its transition from traditional analog methodologies to an era of advanced digital intelligence, signaled by the deployment of state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), widely known as drones, to enhance traffic management, strengthen security surveillance, and reinforce public safety across the Lagos metropolis,” the statement read in part.
It further quoted Bakare-Oki as saying, “This transition transcends the mere acquisition of equipment; it embodies a strategic reformation that positions LASTMA at the forefront of digital governance in traffic management. These drones will provide real-time aerial oversight, enabling swifter interventions, improved safety outcomes, argument emergency response coordination, bolster security frameworks, and the cultivation of a more disciplined motoring culture.”
The statement further assured that the deployment would strictly comply with privacy safeguards, ethical standards, and regulatory requirements to maintain public trust.
