NRSA to Register Okada Unions and Companies in November Ahead of New Rules

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is set to register transport unions and companies in the month of November ahead of the operationalization of commercial motorcycle or Okada services under the Road Traffic Regulations 2026, L.I. 2519.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the Director-General of the NRSA, Abraham Amaliba, said individual riders will no longer be registered independently but must operate under recognized unions or companies.

According to him, under the new operational framework, unions and companies are expected to have a minimum fleet of one hundred motorcycles with individual licensing applications channeled through approved operators.

"You are no longer going to have an individual engaging in Okada. You must belong to a union or you must belong to a company," Mr. Amaliba said.

"What we are going to do in the coming days is to announce, put out a radio announcement that unions or companies should come and register with the National Road Safety Authority. It is from us that we can now transmit the names of the riders to DVLA for them to be registered and if you don't belong to a union you can't do Okada."

The Road Traffic Regulations 2026, L.I. 2519, provides the regulatory framework for the commercial use of motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles.

The stakeholder engagement aimed to strengthen collaboration among the NRSA, MMDAs and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in implementing the regulations.

Under the law, the MMDAs are also expected to facilitate the designation of terminals, regularize operators, administer permits and mark commercial riding activities within their jurisdictions in consultation with relevant authorities.

Mr. Amaliba noted that Okada riders have spoken about lack of terminals and lack of space, which falls within the mandate of the Assemblies to address.