Early motor transport in Southern Nigeria entered an important phase in January 1907, when the colonial administration introduced an organised motor van service between Ibadan and Oyo. The service provided a road connection between Oyo and Ibadan, which was then the terminus of the Lagos Government Railway.
The development was associated with Sir Walter Egerton, the British colonial governor of Southern Nigeria, who supported the introduction of motor vehicles as a means of transporting passengers and commercial goods between the two towns.
Oyo was approximately 33 miles from Ibadan and was not situated along the projected railway extension towards Kano. A motor road offered an alternative means of connecting Oyo with the existing railway network without requiring the immediate construction of another railway line.
The new vehicles entered a region with established systems of transportation and commercial exchange. Long before motor vehicles appeared, communities across Southern Nigeria relied on footpaths, human porterage, canoes and navigable waterways to move people and goods.
Motor transport introduced an additional means of carrying passengers and heavier loads along roads that connected inland settlements with railway stations and commercial centres.
The Ibadan to Oyo service became one of the early documented examples of organised motorised road transport in the territory that would later form part of modern Nigeria.
How the Ibadan to Oyo Motor Service Began in 1907
The first vehicle entered service in January 1907.
It was a delivery van with a carrying capacity of 24 hundredweight, a 16-horsepower engine and a canvas covering.
Several months later, a larger vehicle capable of carrying two tons was introduced.
The fleet continued to expand during the following year. Two additional two-ton vans entered service in February 1908, while a heavier vehicle with a three-ton carrying capacity and a 24-horsepower engine was acquired in September.
The vehicles represented a developing transport operation rather than an isolated experiment.
Their purpose was to carry passengers, commercial goods and building materials along the road between Ibadan and Oyo.
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The service also demonstrated the importance of connecting road transport with existing railway infrastructure. Goods arriving at Ibadan by train could continue towards Oyo by motor vehicle, while agricultural produce from inland markets could be transported towards the railway.
This relationship between road and rail transport became an important feature of the early service.
Five Motor Vans Carried More Than 1,000 Tons of Goods in 1908
By 1908, five vans were employed on the Oyo to Ibadan route.
During that year, the vehicles transported 1,086 tons of goods and carried 1,620 passengers.
The service had developed into a functioning transport operation within two years of its introduction.
The movement of passengers and goods also shows that motor vehicles were being used for practical transport purposes rather than merely being introduced as demonstrations of European mechanical technology.
The transport figures reflected the growing role of motor vehicles in connecting inland markets with existing commercial centres.
For traders and passengers travelling between Ibadan and Oyo, the service provided another transport option alongside the established methods of movement.
Why the Early Motor Vans Used Paraffin Instead of Petrol
One of the distinctive features of early motor transport in Southern Nigeria was the adoption of paraffin as a vehicle fuel.
In British terminology, paraffin refers to kerosene, a liquid petroleum product.
The earliest vehicles initially operated on petrol. However, Governor Egerton proposed using paraffin because he considered it a cheaper and safer alternative.
Modifications were made to a vehicle undergoing trials in England to enable its engine to operate on paraffin.
Following these trials, the first two vans were converted, while subsequent vehicles were ordered with engines suitable for the alternative fuel.
This development reflected an attempt to adapt motor vehicle technology to the practical requirements of the transport service.
Vehicle operation depended not only on the availability of suitable roads but also on reliable engines, accessible fuel supplies and personnel capable of operating and maintaining the machinery.
African Drivers Operated the Motor Vans from January 1908
The history of the Ibadan to Oyo motor service also includes an important development in African participation in mechanical transport.
The earliest vehicles were initially driven by Europeans.
However, African drivers had taken over the operation of the service by January 1908.
Their participation demonstrates that the operation of early motor vehicles in Southern Nigeria was not exclusively undertaken by European personnel.
African workers were directly involved in driving the vehicles and supporting the practical operation of the service during its early development.
Driving a commercial motor vehicle required familiarity with its controls, loading requirements and the road conditions encountered during journeys.
The employment of African drivers also formed part of the wider development of technical and transport-related occupations in colonial Southern Nigeria.
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Their participation places African transport workers within the history of motor vehicle development in Nigeria from an early stage.
How Early Motor Transport in Southern Nigeria Changed the Movement of Goods
The Ibadan to Oyo service connected inland commercial activity with the existing railway network.
Motor vans travelling towards Oyo carried passengers, imported goods and construction materials.
The cargo included cement, timber, corrugated iron, cotton textiles and provisions.
On return journeys, the vehicles transported agricultural produce such as palm kernels, shea nuts, groundnuts and cotton.
The vehicles were not always fully loaded on their return journeys, reflecting differences in the volume of goods moving in each direction.
The service created an additional connection between the agricultural markets of Oyo and the railway terminus at Ibadan.
Goods arriving by train could be transported further inland, while agricultural produce could be carried towards the railway for distribution to other commercial centres.
Rather than replacing established transport systems immediately, the motor vans operated alongside existing forms of movement and exchange.
Their introduction expanded the available options for transporting commercial goods and passengers along selected roads.
Road Construction and the Challenges Facing Early Motor Vehicles
The establishment of the Ibadan to Oyo service required a road capable of accommodating motor vehicles.
The route passed through hilly country, with gradients reportedly not exceeding one in twenty.
During the first year of motor operations, sections of the road proved too soft for the vehicles.
These sections were subsequently strengthened using locally available laterite.
The condition of the road remained an important consideration as the service developed.
In 1909, twelve miles of the Ibadan to Oyo road were re-metalled, and general repairs were undertaken to maintain it in serviceable condition.
These activities demonstrate the close relationship between the development of motor transport and investment in road infrastructure.
Motor vehicles required roads capable of supporting their weight and accommodating their movement, particularly when carrying heavy commercial loads.
Road construction and maintenance therefore formed an essential part of the early transport system.
Motor Transport Expanded Beyond Ibadan and Oyo in 1909
By April 1909, motor transport activity had extended beyond the original Ibadan to Oyo corridor.
Motor vans were also being used between Itu and Ikot Ekpene in eastern Southern Nigeria and between Asaba and Okpanam, near the River Niger.
A motor vehicle was also being used by the Public Works Department in Lagos.
These operations demonstrate that motorised road transport was being introduced into different parts of Southern Nigeria for commercial and administrative purposes.
The development was no longer confined to a single road or town.
Motor vehicles were becoming part of a wider system of road transport that connected communities, government operations and commercial activities.
The operations on the Itu to Ikot Ekpene route provide a particularly important example of how vehicles could serve both transport and infrastructure development.
Motor Vans Helped Build the Itu to Ikot Ekpene Road
In 1909, a motor van was employed on the Itu to Ikot Ekpene road.
The vehicle was used in metalling and gravelling the road, in addition to carrying passengers and bridge materials.
By the end of 1909, the road had been completed to its twenty-first mile.
Four bridges and 47 pipe culverts had also been constructed.
The motor van therefore served more than one purpose.
It transported passengers and construction materials while also assisting with the development of the road infrastructure required for further motor transport.
This demonstrates how early motor vehicles could contribute directly to the construction of the transport networks on which their continued operation depended.
The Financial Performance of the Ibadan to Oyo Service in 1909
Although the Ibadan to Oyo service transported passengers and commercial goods, its financial performance was a separate consideration.
The service continued throughout 1909, with no additional vans added to the existing fleet.
Total expenditure amounted to £3,147 11s., including an allowance for depreciation on the vehicles.
Total receipts amounted to £2,259 15s.
These receipts included £1,749 18s. 8d. from freight, £301 2s. 10d. from passengers and £208 13s. 6d. from miscellaneous sources.
Recorded expenditure therefore exceeded receipts by £887 16s.
Despite this financial shortfall, the colonial administration described the results as satisfactory in view of the service’s early stage of development.
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Another European trading firm opened a factory at Oyo in August 1909.
Competition between the new firm and an already established business contributed to increased transport of palm kernels.
Interest was also expressed by other European firms in establishing commercial operations at Oyo and Iseyin, although additional motor transport facilities would be required to accommodate greater demand.
These developments illustrate the relationship between the expansion of road transport and commercial activity along the Ibadan to Oyo corridor.
The service continued to carry passengers and goods, even though its recorded expenditure exceeded the income it generated during 1909.
Conclusion: The Historical Significance of Nigeria’s Early Motor Transport
Between 1907 and 1909, organised motor road transport became an established part of selected transport services in Southern Nigeria.
The Ibadan to Oyo service began with a single vehicle in January 1907 and expanded to five vans by 1908.
The vehicles carried substantial quantities of goods and passengers, while the adoption of paraffin-powered engines and the employment of African drivers became important features of the early service.
Motor transport also expanded beyond the Ibadan to Oyo corridor, with vehicles operating in other parts of Southern Nigeria and supporting road construction.
These developments represent an important early chapter in the history of motorised road transport in Nigeria.
The introduction of the vehicles connected road development, railway services, commercial activity and the employment of African transport workers.
The history of these early services is therefore not simply a story of imported vehicles. It is also a history of the people who operated them, the roads that supported their movement and the communities whose commercial and transport activities were connected by the expanding network.
Author’s Note
The introduction of organised motor transport in Southern Nigeria between 1907 and 1909 illustrates how technological change depends on infrastructure, human expertise and existing economic relationships. The Ibadan to Oyo service connected inland markets with the railway, while African drivers played an important role in operating the early vehicles. The development of roads and the expansion of motor services demonstrate that transport history is not simply about the arrival of new machinery, but also about the people, communities and established networks that make such technology useful. These early operations remain an important part of understanding how motorised road transport developed in Nigeria.
References
The Commercial Motor. “Motor Transport in Southern Nigeria.” 1 April 1909, page 2. Contemporary account of the Ibadan to Oyo service, Sir Walter Egerton, vehicle specifications, fuel conversion, African drivers, road conditions and the expansion of motor transport to other locations. The Commercial Motor Archive.
Colonial Office. Southern Nigeria: Report for 1908. Colonial Reports, Annual, No. 630, page 31. Official record of the five vans employed on the Oyo to Ibadan service and the quantities of goods and passengers transported during 1908. Digitised by the University of Illinois.
Colonial Office. Southern Nigeria: Report for 1909, pages 24–27. Official record of the continued operation and financial performance of the Ibadan to Oyo service, road maintenance and the use of motor vehicles in the construction of the Itu to Ikot Ekpene road. Digitised by the University of Illinois.
