The first ever traffic radio station in Nigeria, Lagos Traffic Radio, has become a commercial success following Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s decision to lift the ban on advertising, Qed.ng has learnt.
Launched by former Governor Babatunde Fashola on May 29, 2012, the Ikeja-based station was an instant hit with Lagosians because of the chaotic traffic situation in the state.
Speaking during the launch, Fashola said “Lagos Traffic Radio will help you make informed choice as to the route to follow when you set out to work or business in the morning. The radio will give you first-hand information on the traffic situation so that you can manage your time well and save cost”.
Advertisers were drawn to the station at take-off because of the high volume of city dwellers who listen to the radio during long hours spent in traffic.
A reliable source in the station informed this online newspaper that N13million was made in advertising revenue in the first two months of operation.
Just as the management and staff were celebrating potential good fortunes, Fashola directed that the station should stop running advertising.
“Governor Fashola thought that advertising would defeat the purpose for which the station was set up,” the source said.
“He was of the opinion that given the relevance of the station, advertisers may take over, and the mission to provide up to the minute traffic updates will be defeated.”
It was also revealed that some high ranking officials in the Fashola administration fought for control of the station.
Because its mandate cuts across transportation and information, the station had to deal with interference from cabinet members in the two ministries supervising the sectors.
“Some people in Alausa were going about collecting adverts because of commission. They even insisted we broadcast some adverts on credit,” the source said.
Faced with the vision to provide uninterrupted traffic updates and the need to keep his commissioners in check, Fashola ordered that the station should stop running advertising.
Numerous written and verbal appeals could not get the former governor to change his mind until he left office on May 29, 2015.
“For three years, we lost a lot of revenue. We could not generate money from advertising. What happened here was like gas flaring. We watched as our competitors smiled to the bank while we had to make do with insufficient government subvention,” the source added.
That, however, changed immediately after Ambode took over from Fashola in 2015.
With an accountancy background and instinct for making money, the incumbent governor approved the request to run adverts on the station.
The return of advertising has made Lagos Traffic Radio one of the most patronised broadcast channels in the state.
“Even with the poor economic situation in Nigeria in 2017, we were able to surpass our projection of N100million,” the source told this news medium.
“The figure was better in 2016 and is expected to rise in 2018. We are able to take care of our running cost which stands at about N6million every month.
“There is little or no interference from Alausa. Governor Ambode and the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, allow us to operate unhindered.”
General Manager, Lagos Traffic Radio, Mr Layinka Adagun, was yet to reply to a message sent to him as at the time of filing this report.
