The Federal Government and stakeholders in Nigeria’s transport sector have called for sustained investment, stronger institutional coordination and integrated transportation systems to support the country’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
The stakeholders made the call on Monday in Abuja at the Stakeholders of All Transport Modes meeting of the 19th National Council on Transportation and the unveiling of the National Land Transport Policy (NLTP).
The Chief Executive Officer of Transport Support Initiative, Engr. Dr. Emmanuel J. Oche, said Nigeria must urgently reposition its public transportation system through increased funding, professional management and greater use of technology.
Oche proposed the establishment of a National Urban Mobility Authority (NUMA) and a National Highways Transport Authority (NaHTA) to coordinate and professionalise the country’s transport system.
He also called for the recruitment of competent professionals to manage the proposed agencies and the creation of a dedicated national budget line to fund a five-year strategic intervention programme for states.
According to him, the funding model would enable states develop sustainable public transport systems instead of depending on occasional government interventions, such as bus donations.
Oche further urged the Federal Government to facilitate access to international financing from development partners and multilateral institutions, including the World Bank, to support transport projects across the country.
He described efficient public transportation as a social investment that should benefit the entire population rather than infrastructure designed primarily for profit.
The transport expert also advocated the digitisation of public transportation, insisting that no public transport system should be commissioned for public use without adequate digital integration.
He called for the integration of road, rail, air and water transportation with sustainable last-mile mobility options such as cycling, electric shuttles and electric scooters.
Oche said a coordinated and technology-driven transport system would reduce congestion, improve mobility and enhance productivity across the economy.
Declaring the programme open, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, represented by a Director, Musa Ishaku, called for greater integration of Nigeria’s transportation infrastructure to ease pressure on roads and improve the movement of people and goods.
Enitan said the rising volume of traffic on Nigerian roads made it necessary for government to develop alternative modes of transportation and ensure that existing infrastructure was properly integrated.
He said transportation infrastructure must keep pace with population growth and the increasing demand for movement of people and goods.
The HoCSF noted that inadequate alternatives had resulted in excessive pressure on roads, causing congestion, infrastructure deterioration and other transportation challenges.
He stressed that a modern and efficient transport system would facilitate trade, support economic activities, reduce travel costs and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
Enitan also identified human capital development as critical to sustaining reforms in the transport and infrastructure sectors.
He said developing the capacity of professionals and producing skilled graduates would help bridge manpower gaps in the transportation industry.
The HoCSF urged stakeholders to collaborate in developing a coordinated transport system that would provide Nigerians with multiple options for moving people and goods.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transport, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, disclosed that about 98 per cent of Nigerians depend on road transportation, placing enormous pressure on the country’s road infrastructure.
Adebiyi said the heavy dependence on roads had subjected road pavements to traffic volumes beyond their original design capacity.
He cited a section of the Lagos-Ibadan corridor, which he said handles more than 200,000 vehicles daily, as an example of the pressure on the road network.
He therefore stressed the need to expand rail transportation to take excess traffic off the highways.
Adebiyi listed the Lagos-Ibadan, Abuja-Kaduna, Warri-Itakpe and Port Harcourt-Abuja rail lines among completed and operational projects.
He said work was nearing completion on the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano corridor, with commissioning expected by December, while other routes, including Kaduna-Katsina and Katsina-Jibia-Maradi, were also being developed.
According to him, moving more cargo by rail would reduce the number of heavy-duty trucks on highways, lower accident risks and extend the lifespan of road infrastructure.
He added that about 4,000 workers were engaged on the Kano-Maradi railway project alone, describing the transport sector as a major source of employment.
The stakeholders’ recommendations come amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen Nigeria’s transport infrastructure, expand rail connectivity and integrate the various modes of transportation into a more efficient national mobility system.
