International Journal of Research in Geography (IJRG) Volume 6, Issue 1, 2020, PP 29-41 ISSN 2454-8685 (Online) http://dx.doi.org/10.20431/2454-8685.0601004 www.arcjournals.org International Journal of Research in Geography (IJRG) Page| 29 Socio-Economic Importance of Bus Rapid Transit: A Panacea to Sustainable Transport Development in Nigeria Babatope Andrew OGUNDARE* Department of Geography, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. 1. INTRODUCTION The life of a metropolis depends upon its transportation system, and a healthy urban economy requires that transport be smooth and efficient. The automobile-centred, unplanned travel networks of today are proving increasingly inefficient as urban activity and congestion grow. Further, the costs of continuing to support automobile-based transport systems are forbidding, in terms of space absorbed for highways, energy requirements, and ecological consequences. Aware of these factors, most metropolitan areas are moving to coordinate and streamline their transport systems, and to provide mass transit alternatives to the automobiles. These shifts have required urban transportation planners to forecast accurately the response of transportation demand to changes in the attributes of the transport system. Thus, transportation is concerned with mobility, particularly how this mobility is taking place in the context of a wide variety of conditions. Mobility is a geographical endeavour since it trades space for a cost (Rodrique, Comtois and Slack, 2006; Ogunbodede, 2017). Technological and economic forces have changed this balance many times in the past, but in recent decades a growing amount of space has been made accessible at a similar cost. It is thus not surprising to realize that technology permitted improvements in transport speed, capacity and efficiency. Individuals and corporations have been able to take advantage of this improved mobility. A driving force of the global economy resides in the capacity of transport systems to ship large quantities of freight and to accommodate vast numbers of passengers. The world has become interconnected at several scales. This new geographical dimension transcends a more traditional perspective of transportation that focused on the city or the nation. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the geography of transportation is fundamentally being redefined by global, regional and local demands. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is therefore, an innovative bus system with sophisticated vehicles, high speed and frequency, distinctive image and comfort, Abstract: Transport plays a crucial role in urban development by providing access to people for education, markets, employment, recreation, health care and other key services. Especially in cities of the developing world, enhanced mobility for the poor and vulnerable groups is one of the most important preconditions for achieving sustainable development. The study therefore aims at determining the perceived socio-economic benefits of bus rapid transit (BRT) for the patrons of public bus system and addressed transportation challenges in order to create a functional, lively and sustainable city in Nigeria. The study adopted an empirical research design to investigate BRT services in Lagos State. The study was based on the data drawn from a target population which is Lagos BRT communities. The sampling unit was based on pilot study using the number of BRT fleets in operation and their capacities, where a total number of 539 BRT users form the sample size. The data for the study were obtained from primary sources through administration of questionnaires. The F-test statistics revealed interactive effect of benefits derived from BRT on its challenges to the commuters. It was found that the F-cal (1029.943) was greater than Table value (2.600) at 0.05 level of significant. This led to the rejection of the hypothesis stated and thus, the perceived socio-economic benefits of BRT are significantly higher than its challenges to commuters in Lagos metropolis. The study recommends the use of BRT as a good alternative to other public/ private transportation to enhance sustainable living in the cities. Keywords: Bus rapid transit, sustainable development, cities, transportation, socio-economic, commuters *Corresponding Author: Babatope Andrew OGUNDARE, Department of Geography, College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State.