By Eberechukwu Ezennaya
Actually, tolling is not a new development in Nigeria but one, especially younger generation who never witnessed the tolling operation in the 70s and 80s is likely to remain confounded on the reintroduction of toll gates in our high ways by the federal government.
Toll gates are structures set up by the government whether at the federal, state or local level, aimed at enabling users of highways pay an amount of money to the government. This money is subsequently used for the maintenance of the highways.
Now, that the federal government has said it is going to bring back the use of toll gates on Nigeria highways, these are some of the things you must know;
- The toll gates would be an open toll gates instead of a closed toll gate. This means that you don’t have to pay based on distance. You just pay a fixed amount irrespective of the distance.
- Toll gates will be operational on just highways with double lane or more lane and bridges. There would be no toll gates on single lane roads.
- Money generated from the toll gates would be used to maintain the roads.
- Payment of toll gates fee would be done electronically and not by cash.
- Bicycles, Tricycles, Motorcycles, Diplomatic vehicles, Military and Paramilitary vehicles will not be subjected to pay toll gate fees.
- States and local governments can as well start collecting toll gate fees on state and local governments owned roads. This is must be in confirmation with the standard by the federal government.
- There will be discount for persons who live around the toll gate area.
- The tolling fee is as follows: Cars – N200
SUVs – N300
Private Buses – N300
Commercial Buses – N150
Luxury Buses and Trucks: N500.
Note that the payment is to be done on each day of using the highways.