The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has introduced a three-month pilot programme restricting campus food deliveries to approved platforms, following concerns over unregistered riders entering the institution and the potential security risks.

Under the arrangement, only registered and identifiable delivery riders operating through two university-approved platforms will be permitted to provide food delivery services on campus.

Food delivery company Swoop is one of the two platforms selected for the trial, which seeks to strengthen campus security while allowing students to continue ordering meals conveniently.

The initiative is designed to address concerns about the increasing presence of unregistered delivery riders on campus and the implications for student safety, welfare and orderliness.

As part of the programme, Swoop will work with UNILAG’s security unit to ensure that participating riders are properly registered, identifiable and accountable. The company will also collaborate with the Dean of Student Affairs on issues concerning student welfare.

Demola Adesina, Swoop’s country manager and a UNILAG alumnus, said the company shared the university’s commitment to improving campus safety without compromising convenience.

He said the arrangement would ensure that riders operating through the platform met the university’s identification and accountability requirements while maintaining students’ access to affordable food delivery.

“Safety and convenience should go hand in hand,” Adesina said, adding that the pilot would provide an opportunity to demonstrate that food delivery services could operate within the security standards expected of a university community.

The platform also allows customers to view applicable delivery and service charges before confirming orders and track their deliveries in real time.

According to the company, its operating model allows riders to retain all their delivery fees, while restaurants benefit from lower platform charges and access to customers beyond their immediate locations.

The three-month trial is expected to help UNILAG assess whether a regulated food delivery system can improve security and rider accountability while preserving the convenience students have come to expect.

The university’s experience during the pilot could inform decisions on the longer-term management of food delivery services across the campus.