LAGOS, NIGERIA – November 6, 2023 – The bustling city of Lagos, renowned for its vibrant and dynamic urban ecosystem, is hosting the Second General Assembly of the newly established African Association of Urban Mobility Authorities (AUMA) from November 6-7, 2023. Co-organized by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) in collaboration with the Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP), the gathering of urban mobility leaders aims to build the foundation for sustainable urban transit systems in Africa.
Now more than ever, African cities are facing escalating challenges related to urban mobility, rooted in rapid urbanization and population growth and inadequate transport infrastructure. The diversity and complexity of these challenges – ranging from traffic congestion to environmental concerns and accessibility issues – underscore the urgent need to strengthen urban transport governance across the continent. AUMA’s inception stems from this imperative, aiming to foster the fruitful exchange of knowledge and experiences amongst Africa’s new and more established urban mobility authorities.
Convening more than 16 urban mobility authorities from across the continent (including the 13 founding members), the event will provide a formal platform for sharing the experiences and lessons learned of LAMATA and CETUD (the Executive Council of Urban Transport in Dakar) and facilitating deep dive discussions into the topical issues of informal transport, paratransit professionalization and urban mobility financing. In addition, delegates will have the opportunity to experience Lagos’ urban mobility landscape during site visits to key installations around the city, including the recently launched Blue Line of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit system.
“We view this assembly as an opportunity to unite our efforts and empower the creation of innovative, tailored solutions to the unique and complex urban mobility challenges facing Africa’s rapidly growing cities,” says Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, Managing Director of LAMATA.
Dr. Thierno Birahim Aw, President of the AUMA Executive Committee and Director General of CETUD, emphasizes the significance of this assembly. “AUMA is more than an association; it is a movement dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration, and policy advancement in urban mobility across Africa. Lagos, with its multifaceted urban transport dynamics, offers a fitting backdrop to discuss, deliberate, and design our pathway to a future where mobility is not just accessible but also sustainable and equitable.”
Aside from serving as a platform for substantive technical discussions and networking opportunities, the general assembly meeting will gather all members to agree on and establish technical working groups aimed at advancing the priority activities of the Association.
For more information on the AUMA Second General Assembly, please contact Ndeye Rokhaya DIENG rokhaya.dieng@cetud.sn and/or Omolara Kareem Okareem@lamata-ng.com.
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About AUMA:
The African Association of Urban Mobility Authorities (AUMA) is a formal network that aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences related to the planning, coordination, regulation, management, and financing of urban transport systems in Africa. Established on February 21, 2023, in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, the founding members appointed leaders to the Association’s Executive Committee. It is presided by the Director General of CETUD who is supported by three Vice Presidents, namely the Managing Director of LAMATA and the Director Generals of the Maputo Metropolitan Transport Agency (AMT) (Maputo, Mozambique) and Casa Transports (Casablanca, Morocco). The permanent Secretariat is entrusted to the Greater Abidjan Urban Mobility Authority (AMUGA).
About LAMATA:
Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is the Lagos State Government agency responsible for planning, implementing, regulating, and franchising public transport infrastructure and operations. LAMATA is tasked with the responsibility of delivering an intermodal integrated transport system for Lagos. In carrying out the task, LAMATA developed a Strategic Transport Master Plan which details transport infrastructure requirements for Lagos till 2032. For more information, please visit: https://www.lamata-ng.com/
About SSATP:
Established in 1987, the Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP) is an international partnership of 42 African countries, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), African institutions such as the African Union Commission (AUC) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), public and private sector organizations, and international development agencies, with the mission to facilitate policy development and related capacity building in Africa’s transport sector. SSATP is financed by the contributions of development partners to a trust fund administered by the World Bank. Current donors are the European Commission (EC), Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the African Development Bank (AfDB). For more information, please visit: https://www.ssatp.org
