29Workshop and LASTMA Partner on Tech-Driven Roadside Rescue in Lagos
Road accidents are still one of Nigeria’s biggest public safety challenges. In Lagos, where congestion makes rescue operations even slower, every minute lost after a crash can determine how severe the outcome becomes. Breakdowns also worsen gridlock, leaving stranded vehicles to choke already overwhelmed roads.
A new model for roadside help
29Workshop Autotech, a Nigerian auto-tech startup, is stepping into this gap with a new partnership with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA). Together, they are rolling out a tech-driven roadside rescue initiative aimed at making accident response faster and more efficient.
29Workshop runs a digital platform that links motorists to mobile mechanics, diagnostic tools, and towing services. Through the app, drivers can request help, get real-time updates, and track the rescue process.
What LASTMA brings to the table
Working with LASTMA gives the project an extra layer of coordination, since the agency already manages traffic control and incident response across the city. For years, LASTMA officials have had to manually clear accident scenes or push broken-down vehicles off major roads, often without enough technical or towing support.
By combining 29Workshop’s technology with LASTMA’s authority, the project is designed to speed up how quickly stalled vehicles are cleared and how fast help reaches crash victims.
The promise and the questions
The collaboration looks ambitious, but its success will depend on execution. How quickly can the service expand across Lagos, a city notorious for unpredictable traffic and sprawling road networks? Will motorists trust the system and adopt it widely? And what about cost, will the service be affordable enough for everyday drivers, or will it stay limited to a small group who can pay for faster help?
These questions are as important as the technology itself. Without scale and adoption, the system risks becoming another well-meaning project that never breaks beyond pilot stage.
What this could mean for Lagos
Even with those uncertainties, the project signals an important shift. Tech startups in Nigeria are beginning to play a more direct role in solving urban safety problems, and public-private partnerships like this could set the stage for broader innovation in transport management.
For Lagos, where delays often turn minor breakdowns into hours-long traffic chaos, a working roadside rescue system could be a game changer. It could save lives, reduce gridlock, and restore some measure of order to one of Africa’s busiest transport networks.
