It's definitely not a good year to be a motorcycle taxi driver in Nigeria

Before the government banned motorcycle taxis in several busy districts in Lagos, these vehicles, known as okadas, were a welcome option for commuters. Now they're out of luck — and so are the drivers, who risk having their bike impounded and facing arrest if they violate the ban. (Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images)

In Lagos, Nigeria's suburb of Yaba on the morning of June 1, motorcycle taxi driver Obaji Samson wasn't sure if he should go to work or not. Still clad in his pajamas, he listened to an announcement on the radio that summed up his dilemma: The government of the Nigerian state that includes Lagos was instituting a ban on motorcycle taxis — known as bike taxis or okadas — in six of the most economically vibrant districts at the heart of the bustling commercial city.

Should he drive anyway and risk getting arrested – or stay at home (and earn nothing).