Tricycles as a means of transportation in Nigeria

Posted by Felix Okoli on Thursday June 5, 2014 at 15:17:20:

As at the start of the 21st century and as population increased in urban cities, the use of tricycle was introduced as one of the vehicles for road transportation in Nigeria.

A Tricycle is a vehicle that is a bit different than a motorcycle. It is a smaller version of a vehicle but with three wheels. One front wheel and two back wheels. It is used to transport people and goods from one place to another, though it is not that suitable or recommended for long distance trips. It is designed to be used within a town or local government and it can be used to comfortably carry 3 persons at the back and the driver in the front.

It is called different local names by different people in Nigeria. In Lagos for instance, some call it Keke Marwa and others call it Keke Napep. Tricycles were gradually introduced in Nigeria from India as a safer replacement for commercial motorcycles which were seen as dangerous and unsafe. They have later gained popularity and more patronage as a result of state laws that were designed to reduce the number of commercial motorcycles on the road and high ways. Some Nigerian states have started banning the use of commercial motorcycles also known as Okada and promoted Tricycles in its place. Commercial motorcycles were banned in most States because of the high rate of accidents and armed robberies associated with them which made them harder to be caught by the Police.

Some advantages tricycle has over motorcycle
Distance: Though both tricycle and motorcycle are not good for a far distance journey, but tricycle can go a farther distance than motorcycle

Transportation of Goods: Tricycle can transport more bulky goods than a motorcycle can though not a large as what a vehicle can carry. Traders use it to transport there goods, for the place of purchase to their selling point.

Transportation of People: Tricycle can be used to transport more persons than a motorcycle. It can carry about 4 people as opposed to the 2 persons a motorcycle can carry.

Uses of Tricycles in Nigeria
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In Nigeria, Tricycles are used by both private and commercial users as a mean of transport. Commercial users use it to transport people and goods for a fee and they are normally found at organized vehicle parks where they covey people to their destinations. Commercial tricycles in Nigeria are normally painted a uniform colour such as Yellow to underscore the fact that it is being used for commercial transport.

Private tricycles are also owned and used by individuals and business to transport themselves and their goods from one place to another. There is no law on the setting up of parks or the the choice of colour for private tricycles but their colours are normally based on the choice of their private owners.