TRANSPORT FOR ALL: Inclusivity on the move

TRANSPORT FOR ALL: Inclusivity on the Move

On a humid Monday morning in Lagos, a woman boarded a yellow (Danfo) bus at the Bus stop , clutching her six-month-old baby in one arm and a small bundle under the other. She was pregnant again. The bus was already crowded, with no designated space for expectant mothers or women carrying infants. As the vehicle jerked forward, the woman stumbled; a young man offered her a seat, but the space was too tight to settle comfortably. At the next stop, an elderly man with a cane tried to climb aboard but struggled with the high step and the impatient honking behind him. Across the road, a young man in a wheelchair waited hopefully for a minibus, but the one that arrived had no ramp. The driver waved apologetically and drove off, leaving him stranded on the curb. In that moment, the phrase “Transport for All” became more than a slogan it was a vision still far from reality.

Transport is not merely about moving people from one point to another it is a vital enabler of opportunity, dignity, and social participation. When certain groups especially persons with disabilities, elderly ones, children, and women (including pregnant women), are excluded or encounter barriers in mobility, their access to education, employment, healthcare, and community life is severely limited. Globally, one in seven people lives with some form of disability, and about 80% of them reside in developing countries, where transport systems are often inadequately designed to accommodate their needs (UITP, 2024). Therefore, inclusive transport is not a niche concern; it lies at the heart of social equity and sustainable development.

In cities like Lagos, where public transport is often informal and physically demanding, inclusive mobility remains a major challenge. The story of the woman, the elderly man, and the young man in a wheelchair reflects the broader systemic issues of exclusion in urban mobility. A study conducted in Kaduna State, Nigeria, revealed that the lowest-rated facilities for people with disabilities in public transport terminals were ramps, platforms, and stores—demonstrating how far the country still has to go in providing universal accessibility (RSIS International, 2022). Similarly, findings from Nairobi showed that women and persons with disabilities faced difficulties boarding vehicles due to a lack of ramps, inadequate wheelchair spaces, and poor last-mile connectivity (ITDP, 2025).

Inclusivity in transport must consider the diverse needs of all groups. For children, safety and accessibility are essential boarding, alighting, and traveling in secure environments with proper signage and caregiver support. Pregnant women and mothers with infants need adequate space, comfortable rides, and priority seating to prevent physical strain. The elders require handrails, non-slippery floors, good lighting, and low steps to ease boarding. Persons with disabilities, particularly those with physical or sensory impairments, depend on ramps, tactile surfaces, audio-visual information systems, and trained personnel who understand accessibility needs. Unfortunately, many transport systems in Africa have yet to integrate such designs, largely due to inadequate funding, lack of regulation, and insufficient awareness.

Beyond infrastructure, inclusivity also depends on the social experience of travel. In a groundbreaking study, Mogaji, Ugboma & Farinloye (2024) explored how commuter-to-commuter interactions shape the satisfaction and wellbeing of travelers with disabilities in Lagos. Their research revealed that inclusive mobility extends beyond ramps and vehicle design—it includes how passengers treat one another. The authors emphasized that service users can play a transformative role in co-creating inclusive transport experiences “at different stages of a journey: entering, transitioning, and exiting service interaction.” This insight is crucial for Nigeria, where social empathy can make the difference between accessibility and exclusion in everyday travel.

Attitudinal and institutional barriers persist as well. In Malaysia, studies have shown that societal perceptions, lack of staff training, and poor enforcement of accessibility policies contribute to the exclusion of people with disabilities from public transport (Journal of UiTM, 2023). Similar patterns exist in African cities, where drivers often overlook or rush passengers with mobility challenges. These behaviors, combined with weak regulatory frameworks, limit the effectiveness of existing infrastructure. Even in Sweden renowned for its progressive mobility policies, research found significant regional disparities in accessibility, suggesting that even advanced systems require ongoing monitoring and adaptation (MDPI, 2019).

Affordability and service reliability also shape inclusivity. In Nigeria, commuters with disabilities often spend more on transport due to inaccessible routes and the need for assistance (Pubs iScience, 2023). Meanwhile, women face safety and harassment concerns that limit their mobility options. Research by Mogaji (2022) on female cyclists in Lagos revealed that women’s participation in active transport is shaped by fear of harassment, lack of infrastructure, and gender norms. The study underscores the importance of designing transport systems that are both safe and equitable for women, echoing findings from the Surge for Gender Equality Initiative (2024), which highlights gender-sensitive planning as a key principle of inclusive mobility.

Globally, several organizations and scholars are advancing solutions. The International Association of Public Transport (UITP, 2024) advocates for universal design infrastructure and vehicles built to be accessible to everyone, regardless of age, gender, or ability. Similarly, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2024) highlights Ghana’s “Accessibility for All” initiative, which applies a gendered approach to sustainable mobility in Accra and Kumasi. This demonstrates how inclusive transport can be achieved through policy reform, design innovation, and participatory planning.

Data-driven approaches are also crucial. A study conducted in Tehran found that accessibility challenges are often linked to poor coordination between agencies and the absence of user-centered planning (Arxiv, 2023). In Nigeria, similar coordination gaps exist between local governments, operators, and urban planners. As Mogaji, Ugboma & Uzondu (2026) argue in their recent book Transport Services Management in Africa, achieving inclusivity requires collaboration between government, academia, and the private sector, with deliberate policy frameworks that promote accessibility and equity.

For Nigeria, the time to act is now. With rapid urbanization and growing mobility demands, inclusivity must be embedded in the design and management of transport systems. Agencies like LAMATA can take the lead by ensuring that all new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicles and stations adhere to universal design standards. Private operators and logistics firms can complement these efforts through staff training, awareness campaigns, and the provision of accessible vehicles. Academic institutions such can further this mission through targeted research and innovation that bridges the gap between policy and practice.

Ultimately, Transport for All is both a vision and a moral obligation. It calls for empathy, innovation, and shared responsibility. When cities design mobility systems that prioritize the needs of their most vulnerable children, women, older adults, and persons with disabilities, they create benefits for everyone. As the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 reminds us, making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable begins with transport that leaves no one behind.

The story that began with the woman, the elderly man, and the young man in a wheelchair could end differently. Imagine a Lagos where buses have ramps and low floors, where pregnant women travel safely, where drivers assist older passengers, and where every person regardless of ability or gender moves freely and confidently. That is the promise of inclusive transport: mobility that unites rather than divides. Transport for All is not just an aspiration, it is a necessity for a fair, equitable, and truly connected society.