The Lagos State Government has renewed its warning against the permanent or routine use of dealer number plates by motorists and automobile dealers across the state.
The government said dealer registration plates were issued for specific purposes and could not legally be used for private transportation or unrestricted movement on public roads.
The Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Bolanle Ogunlola, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
Ogunlola urged motorists and vehicle dealers to comply with the rules governing the use of dealer plates, warning that anyone found misusing them would face sanctions.
She explained that the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, limits the use of dealer number plates to specific activities and within approved periods.
According to her, the plates may be used for authorised vehicle test drives, inspection of vehicles, delivery or collection of vehicles, and the movement of unregistered vehicles directly from ports or licensed dealership premises to approved destinations.
She stressed that the approval did not extend to using dealer plates as permanent registration numbers for vehicles.
“Their use for private daily commuting, continuous operation on public roads, or on vehicles already sold is prohibited,” Ogunlola said.
The government’s latest warning comes amid efforts to improve vehicle identification and strengthen enforcement of traffic regulations across Lagos.
Dealer number plates, commonly associated with automobile dealers, are intended to allow vehicles that have not yet been fully registered to move for legitimate business purposes.
The plates are particularly useful when dealers need to take vehicles for test drives, inspections, deliveries or other activities connected to the sale and registration of vehicles.
However, the ministry said some motorists and dealers had been using the plates beyond the purposes allowed by law.
Ogunlola disclosed that the Vehicle Inspection Service had already impounded 175 vehicles for allegedly violating regulations governing dealer number plates.
She said the dealer plates recovered from the affected vehicles would be confiscated, while the vehicles would undergo further investigation.
The government did not state when the 175 vehicles were impounded or whether the owners had been prosecuted.
The latest enforcement is part of the state government’s wider efforts to ensure that vehicles operating on Lagos roads can be properly identified and traced.
The ministry also warned motorists against using unauthorised, counterfeit, concealed or improperly displayed registration numbers.
According to Ogunlola, motorists found operating vehicles with such registration numbers could face enforcement measures, including the impoundment of their vehicles and prosecution under applicable traffic laws.
The government urged vehicle owners and dealers to familiarise themselves with the rules before using dealer plates on public roads.
It also advised dealers to ensure that vehicles under their custody were moved only for purposes covered by the law and within the permitted conditions.
The ministry said compliance was important because proper vehicle registration and identification helped authorities to establish ownership and trace vehicles involved in accidents, traffic offences and other incidents.
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, has one of the largest concentrations of vehicles in the country and faces persistent challenges involving traffic management, vehicle identification and road safety.
The state government has over the years introduced several measures to regulate vehicle registration and improve compliance with traffic laws.
The enforcement of registration rules is also linked to efforts to prevent the use of vehicles with fake or concealed number plates for criminal activities.
In recent years, security agencies have raised concerns about vehicles operating with improper identification, particularly where offenders attempt to conceal the identity of vehicles used in criminal activities.
The Ministry of Transportation therefore said stricter enforcement of dealer plate regulations was necessary to promote accountability among motorists and automobile dealers.
Ogunlola urged members of the public who purchase vehicles from dealers to ensure that the vehicles are properly registered and fitted with the appropriate registration numbers before being used for regular transportation.
She warned that having a dealer plate on a vehicle did not provide a blanket exemption from normal registration requirements.
The ministry also stressed that the restrictions applied to vehicles that had already been sold, saying dealer plates could not continue to be used as substitutes for normal vehicle registration.
The government said continued misuse of the plates would attract enforcement action.
The renewed warning is expected to affect motorists who rely on dealer plates for daily movement, particularly those who use newly purchased or unregistered vehicles for regular private and business activities.
The ministry advised such motorists to complete the required registration process rather than depend on dealer plates.
It also called on automobile dealers to educate their customers on the proper use of dealer registration plates and ensure that the plates were not transferred for unauthorised purposes.
The government maintained that the enforcement was not aimed at disrupting legitimate automobile business but at ensuring that the existing rules were followed.
According to the ministry, strict enforcement will help strengthen vehicle identification, improve accountability and enhance safety on Lagos roads.
Motorists and dealers were therefore advised to comply with the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law and avoid actions that could lead to vehicle impoundment, confiscation of dealer plates or prosecution.