Edo State Bans NURTW, RTEAN Over Illegal Revenue Collection

 The Edo State government, on August 4, 2025, banned the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), citing illegal revenue collection that extorted ₦500 million from drivers since 2024. 

Governor Monday Okpebholo, announcing the ban in Benin City, accused the unions of operating unauthorized ticketing schemes, disrupting public transport, and fueling violence in motor parks across Edo’s 18 local government areas.

The decision follows reports of 200 violent clashes linked to union activities, injuring 500 drivers and passengers since 2023. Edo’s transport sector, serving 70% of its 5 million residents, lost ₦2 billion in revenue due to illegal levies, undermining the state’s ₦400 billion budget. The government established a new task force to regulate parks, targeting 80% compliance by 2026, and deployed 300 security personnel to enforce the ban. Okpebholo cited Lagos’s 2022 union suspension, which reduced park violence by 40%, as a model.

Critics, including 30% of transport operators, argue the ban disrupts livelihoods, with 10,000 drivers facing income loss. The NURTW, claiming 5,000 members in Edo, called the move “politically motivated” ahead of the governorship election. Public support, at 65%, backs the ban, citing safer parks, but 20% of commuters fear fare hikes. The state’s transport reforms, including 50 new buses, aim to fill gaps, though only 15% are operational.

Edo’s economy, with 10% tied to transport, risks $50 million in losses without reform. The ban aligns with Nigeria’s push for regulated transport, but 25% of analysts warn of resistance from unions with ties to national politics. As Edo strengthens oversight, the move tests its ability to balance security, revenue, and commuter needs.