In a significant move to honour the 2025 United Nations World Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims, a non-profit organisation has launched a major cycling initiative for students in Lagos. The Gabriel Rotimi Aroge (GRA) Empowerment Foundation, in partnership with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), has distributed 500 bicycles to selected government schools across the state.
Launching a Cycling Empowerment Project
The programme, officially named Cycle-to-School-Plus (C2S+), was flagged off at the Government Technical College in Ikotun. The bicycles, a donation from the Foundation's UK partner, Re-Cycle Bikes to Africa, were unveiled from a cargo container holding 505 units. This event marks the initial phase of what organisers describe as a long-term project aimed at empowering youth through sustainable transport.
Representing the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIOTA), Dr Fagbenro Abiola from the Lagos State University School of Transport highlighted the Institute's international support for the GRA Foundation's mission.
Focus on Safety, Skills, and Sustainability
Moronke Azeez, the Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, emphasised that the project aligns perfectly with the Board's goal of improving educational access through better mobility and skills acquisition. She stated that education extends beyond classroom walls, and these bicycles will help students develop critical life skills, discipline, and even foster the creation of bicycle clubs and safety advocacy groups.
Azeez urged the beneficiaries to use the bicycles responsibly, prioritise their safety by obeying traffic rules, and maintain the bikes well, framing the donation as a direct investment in their future.
The vision behind the project was further explained by the National Coordinator of the GRA Foundation, Dr Al-Mahroof Ashiru, who represented the Founder, Rotimi Aroge. He clarified that the Foundation's goal transcends merely providing bicycles. It seeks to cultivate a culture of discipline, compliance, and fairness in transportation.
"We want to change behaviours and build road safety consciousness. Some argue that Nigeria lacks dedicated bicycle lanes, but safety is about attitude, not only infrastructure," Ashiru noted. He announced that the bicycles would remain the property of the Foundation and be passed down to new sets of students upon graduation, ensuring sustainability.
Structured Selection and Future Plans
Beneficiaries are chosen through a meticulous process involving route mapping, student screening, and road-risk assessment using digital tools. The Foundation will monitor recipients and provide training in safe riding practices. Outstanding students may qualify for rewards, scholarships, and international exchange programmes.
Aroge revealed the significant logistical costs involved, with nearly N15 million spent on customs clearance and logistics for the container alone, and he appealed for more private sector support to expand the initiative.
The Principal of Government Technical College, Ikotun, Ibukun Onagbola, welcomed the programme, noting its synergy with the school's technical curriculum. She expressed hope that it could lay the groundwork for producing future bicycle engineers, creating a new vocational skills sector in Nigeria.
The event also featured a road-safety video skit competition for Lagos schools, won by the Community Junior Grammar School, which received a cash prize of N100,000 and safety materials. The skits focused on dangers for pedestrians, the risks of distracted driving, and promoting safe commuting habits.
The Foundation has already identified 20 more schools in the Alimosho area for the next phase. A central bicycle workshop and escort marshals will be established at Government Technical College, Ikotun, to serve all students in Alimosho Local Council, teaching them Do-It-Yourself (DIY) repair skills. Assembly and partial distribution of the bicycles begin in December 2025, with a full rollout expected by January 2026.
