Why on-street parking enforcement is not working properly in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as expected

The starting point of parking enforcement is having the proper regulations, properly indicated by lines and signs, where appropriate. Without this, parking attendants (PA) will have a difficult task, and Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) should not be issued as they are likely to be invalid and could result into unnecessary confrontation with motorists.

In any developed world before any on-street parking enforcement is to be introduced there must be appropriate discussions with stakeholders and setting out of code of practise which will be stipulated in the parking regulations as approved by the legislative bodies. In Nigeria, the case is quite different and chaotic which is attributed to three main reasons which are poor physical planning, wrong objectives and motives and lack of appropriate legal codes of practise or regulations.

Let us take our mind back to how it all started and why its not working?

The city of Abuja referred to as Federal Capital Territory was a creation of the Murtala/ Obasanjo administration of 1976 when it became clear that the traffic situation in Lagos, Nigeria former capital could not ensure free movement. This thinking and other reasons brought about the location of a Abuja to a virgin and free area which is central to the nation. However, as soon as the seat of government moved to Abuja, the old traffic problem reared its head. The problem becomes worse during major events. 

The Federal Capital Territory also known as Abuja was a physical planner’s tabula rasa at inauguration in 1976. The pioneer physical planners therefore set out from the word go with a compass to take them to their destination. There were clearly defined planning parameters and indices to be observed for the city and outlying districts. It was the distortion of some of these parameters that gave birth to the distortion of the city’s master plan which many an ordinary Nigerian now knows about in the same way he knows about “fuel subsidy” as everyday buzzwords. The distortion of Abuja Master plan which came to the fore during el-Rufai’s administration  may have been the subject of beer parlour and motor park discussions but when examined knowingly, it comes down to specific, verifiable parameters which were compromised to lead to distortion and its most notorious consequence, demolition.

In like manner, some physical planning parameters have been compromised to cause the clogging of the city streets by sedentary traffic. One of these parameters is the site coverage/ site density rate for the different land use types. Site coverage refers to the percentage of the plot that can be built up. By default and from the viewpoint of the Green Lobby, it specifies the size of un-built space for every plot. This leaves room for on-site parking. With multi-floor developments, the site density takes into cognisance the needs of upper floor residents for parking and that of children for recreation. Plot coverage rates in Abuja range from 35% to 50% for residential low density to high density respectively.  However, this planning requirement which was supposed to be taken care of at site planning stage of building design is often obeyed in the breach.

Many developers come with a compliant set of drawings which is approved by Development Control while they go back and build something else with higher plot coverage. What would have been on-site parking space is often the loser in this concrete jungle-mania. It is so bad that the average Abuja resident coming into your premises and seeing sizeable un-built swathe of real estate often begins to lament your “waste”. It doesn’t matter whether it is owner-occupied or leased, this crave for an extra “self-contain”  that can be squeezed in space otherwise left as green area or for parking, is quite redolent in Abuja psyches. On apartment blocks, what used to be an exclusive Lagos/Onitsha scenario where residents park out their cars in the morning for the inner car to come out has also become an Abuja thing. It is this crowding out of on-site parking space in commercial developments that has contributed to the clogging of high streets during working hours. Many shopping complexes are designed without the standard provisions for on-site parking.

Another planning requirement the widespread breach of which has contributed to the parking nightmare in Abuja is the conversion of residential developments to commercial uses. The parking lot requirement for commercial uses happens to be greater than that of residential. When residential buildings are turned to banks, hotels and offices, there is no corresponding enlargement of the on-site parking lot. This results in both staff and visitors/shoppers having to park on the street. The authorities of the FCT once charged a penalty for every conversion or change of use but it seems that the sheer volume of the breaches have overwhelmed them.

There are other incidental matters that have contributed to the parking crises in the city. These include the average Nigerian’s penchant for cars. A car is de rigueur for having “made it”. Well, it is not for nothing. The public transport system is in disarray and is mostly limited to the road mode. There is little use of rail in Lagos otherwise it is road all the way. Nobody contemplates the bicycle and even Abuja with so-called modern credentials does not factor-in the bicycle in its traffic matrix. Any biker therefore risks being run over by some impatient motorist. Neither is the public transport system efficient enough for one to leave one’s car at home and commute to the city on a bus. Lagos may have begun to experience this scenario with its efficient BRT system. But in Abuja, residents of outlying districts of Kubwa, Lugbe, and Nyanya-Karu  still have to ride their cars to work in the city. This worsens the traffic and parking problems of the city.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCDA, is upbeat in its determination to soar up the revenue of the territory. As part of plans to generate more revenue internally and not depend on federal government’s allocation to its developmental activities, the administration has concluded arrangement to introduce ‘on-the-street parking scheme’ for motorists in the territory. The scheme ensures that motorists park their vehicles at designated locations and pay certain amount of money depending on the length of time such vehicle is parked.  It was gathered that FCTA signed a contract in 2011 with two local firms, Integrated Parking Services Limited and  Platinum Parking Management Services Ltd.for the provision, installation and management of on-street parking facilities and services in Abuja both thus becoming  the first civil parking enforcement companies with such responsibilities in Abuja. According to press reports the contract is valued at N1.7 billion.The parking project was implemented barely a year after it was awarded through public private partnership, PPP. 

Theses two local private companies are both inexperienced in the world of parking and they may have been awarded this contract due to their closeness with FCDA and their involvement in party politics. The owners or management of these companies believe that having travelling abroad for few weeks and see how parking enforcement is been implemented to ease traffic without necessary having the experience or engaging the services of the experts they could produce similar results. The afore-mentioned companies above got attracted due to the incentives involved in managing parking without really considering the depth of what is required and expected.

Due to the resistance from public as a result of the high parking rates and the lack of appropriate loan facility from financial institutions in the country so as to procure sophisticated parking equipment as applies overseas, these companies have now run out of cash and steam and are struggling to cope with parking activities in Abuja city.

House committee chairman on FCT, Hon. Emmanuel Jime believes that the only key to tackling traffic issues in Abuja is involved foreign parking professionals most especially at the early stage coupled with the completion of the Abuja Light Rail System. Analysts however believe that if the mass transit scheme is to be the focal point, the only way it can succeed is to have maintenance culture and that government should intensify efforts to complete the rail system in the territory to reduce pressure on the road transport.

All regulations need appropriate legislation or have to be supported by a traffic order which details the prohibition or restriction and the length or part of the road to which it applies. The regulations need proper signs and markings which comply with the requirements of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (unless specially authorised by the Department for Transport) and follow the guidelines and advice provided in the Department for Transport’s Traffic Signs Manual. Regulations that do not have proper markings and signs cannot be enforced. Authorities should pay attention to the need to keep signs and lines in good order and as simple and clear as possible.

A regular signs and lines maintenance routine should be in place, as well as providing all patrol officers (e.g. PAs, community officers, maintenance engineers and others) with the simple method of reporting problems with signs and lines as they encounter them. Where a regulation needs to be removed or changed, this should happen as a matter of urgency. Turning a ‘blind eye’ to contraventions on anything but a short, interim basis undermines enforcement in other areas as drivers will not know whether a council takes any particular regulation seriously. This will lead to disputes when enforcement does take place.

Where an authority proposes to change or amend an existing regulation it should consider enforcement of that regulation prior to the change. Once it is clear that the council or authority is committed to a removal of the regulation, where the Order is suspended or a draft revocation order published and not challenged, enforcement should be suspended as the public will have an expectation of change. The lines and signs should then be updated as a priority to reflect the change. Parking attendants are the public face of parking control therefore it is essential that they present a professional and efficient image. Whether the attendants are employed directly by an authority or by a contractor, it is important that enforcement is effective, efficient and fair and, equally importantly, that it is seen to be so.

Parking attendants will soon become aware of parking behaviour, often faster than it would become apparent through other means. It is important not to underestimate their role and it is useful for authorities to use feedback from attendants to help determine traffic and parking policy. In recognition of their important front-line role, it is advisable to ensure that parking attendants are suitably well rewarded as well as being properly managed and supported, in order to attract and retain staff of a suitable calibre and offer the best possible standard of service to the public.

Before starting a patrol, parking attendants should check all issued equipment and, if using them, test hand held computers (HHCs). It is essential that at the start of each shift the attendant produces, and keeps for record purposes, a test PCN to ensure that the HHC is working correctly and showing the right time. This may need to be produced in court or at the adjudicator’s office. HHCs will also serve to record signing-on. Attendants should be instructed to issue a PCN where they believe a contravention has occurred, and to make notes about any possible mitigating circumstances.

They should not be allowed to exercise discretion (i.e. cancel PCNs once issued or select not to issue, unless an exemption has been identified) as this would leave attendants more vulnerable to threats and corruption and would lead to greater inconsistencies in application of the law. If motorists are seen, the attendant should explain the situation to them, make notes of any conversation or observations and advise them to write to the authority. They should explain that they cannot enter into discussions about the merits of the case. Having issued a PCN, a parking attendant may identify that a vehicle is a priority for clamping or removal, but the extra enforcement action should only take place after authorisation. Most of these narrated codes of practise for on-street enforcement are currently not in place.

The general public opinion in FCT is that not only are the motives for implementing on-street parking wrong but also lack appropriate legislation and require an immediate review before it leads to unrest. A worker in Abuja averagely have to pay N650 equivalent to about $5 to park daily considering the minimum wage per month in Nigeria is N18,000 which is about $100. It was also learnt that the introduction of on-street parking in Abuja has still not solve the traffic issues as it has only move the problems from one area to another as very few areas are currently patrolled and enforced due to insufficient resources.

In view of this detailed report whose purpose is not to condemn Abuja parking policy but to improve our current standing in the industry so as to attract foreign investors when things are done properly. I totally agree with the statement included above from Hon. Emmanuel Jime and also hereby recommend that our House of Senate which is the highest legislative body should recall the half-backed parking policy hurriedly implemented, suspend its implementation and review the parking document with the use of parking professionals as consultant that are well knowledgeable in the industry.






Author: Mr. W.A Seriki is the current Managing Director (V-Park Management Solution Limited) and he is the foremost Nigerian Parking Consultant trained overseas and highly recognized in the parking industry. The company V-Park provides expertise and professional services in total parking management solutions which also covers the hospitality industry. For more information please contact info@v-parkms.com or visit [Image]http://www.v-parkms.com. 


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