FCTA suspends N25,000 dispatch riders’ permit levy after massive protest

The FCT Administration has suspended enforcement of its N25,000 drivers’ and riders’ permit levy, days after thousands of riders stormed the FCTA secretariat to protest what they called outright exploitation.

The suspension came through a directive from Chinedum Elechi, the transportation mandate secretary, in a letter to First Capital Cargo Ltd, the company contracted to collect the levy.

The letter was direct: Stop collection, hold off enforcement, and wait for further engagement with stakeholders. No timeline was given for when that engagement would happen or what the outcome might look like.

This follows a protest on February 19, where riders gathered in large numbers on their bikes, carrying placards and demanding that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike step in. Technext reported on that protest as it happened.

The numbers that pushed dispatch riders to the streets

To understand why riders came out in thousands, you have to look at what they’re actually paying. There’s the N13,000 annual levy to area councils: AMAC, Bwari, and Gwagwalada each collect theirs.

Then, the new N25,000 permit levy from the FCT Transportation Secretariat landed on top of that. And every time a rider enters a market in Abuja, there’s a N300 ticket waiting. Stack all of that together, and you start to see why the word “extortion” was on their placards.

The riders weren’t saying they wouldn’t pay any levies at all. Their demand was simple: unify the charges, make them transparent, and stop the pile-on. Multiple agencies collecting separate fees for what essentially amounts to the same thing is the core of the problem, and it’s one the government has so far not resolved, only paused.

Dispatch riders play a significant role in Abuja’s economy. They power last-mile delivery for e-commerce, food apps, and logistics companies across the city. When operating costs increase without a matching rise in income, the resulting stress affects more than just the company experiencing it; it extends to others as well.

The suspension is a response, but it isn’t a resolution. The FCTA hasn’t scrapped the levy. It has just stopped collecting it for now while it figures out the next steps.

That distinction matters. Riders have a reason to be cautious about what “further stakeholder engagement” actually produces.

A successful review could lead to a standard and fair tax system for gig workers in Abuja, Nigeria. If the review fails, the riders will likely protest again.

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