The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA) has called on the federal and state governments to work toward taking transport to the local council where a Supervisory Councilor of Transport is to be introduced in each local council in every state in Nigeria.
  This was one of the resolutions reached by CIOTA at its just concluded 8th National Transport Conference themed “Integrated Multimodal Transport Systems for Sustainable Development of Nigeria”.
   
In a communique issued at the end of the two-day conference, the institute also advocated for a formal institutional framework for collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Federal Ministry of Works, whereby the Ministry of Transportation leads transport needs assessment, network planning and functional design requirements, while the Ministry of Works undertakes road construction in accordance with approved designs and relevant engineering standards.
   “The Conference calls on all tiers of government to recognize public transport as an essential social service and make adequate budgetary provisions for its development, operations and maintenance to ensure accessible, affordable and reliable mobility for Nigerians.”

It urged the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, alongside other relevant ministries and agencies, to strengthen coordination in transport policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation for effective multimodal integration.
   “The Conference advocates the adoption of modern technologies to improve traffic management, reduce congestion, enhance road safety and promote the efficient movement of passengers and goods tracking and monitoring of vehicles and vessels to strengthen security, accountability and regulatory compliance across all modes.
  
“The Conference resolves that CIoTA shall strengthen professional ethics, competence and accountability among its members through continuous professional development, adherence to established codes of conduct and the enforcement of appropriate disciplinary measures for professional misconduct in accordance with its governing rules.”
 The institute called for a comprehensive assessment of skills gaps across the transport industry, particularly the road transport subsector, and advocates strengthened professional training, capacity development and effective regulatory frameworks to address identified deficiencies and promote excellence.
   
“The Conference urges the Federal Government to integrate national defence, military mobility and emergency logistics requirements into the planning, design, construction, maintenance and regulation of land transport system, with responsible transport and defence authorities jointly identifying strategic mobility corridors, critical infrastructure, alternative routes, intermodal facilities and civilian transport capabilities in accordance with national law and public safety requirements.
  “The Conference calls on the Federal Ministry of Transportation, through the National Council on Transportation, to undertake an early targeted review of the NLTP 2026 for Federal Executive Council approval, incorporating a National Security and Defence Logistics Annex jointly developed with the Ministry of Defence and guided by a National Military Mobility Framework.
  
“The Conference recommended the designation of the Ministry of Defence and Defence Headquarters as core stakeholders in national transport planning, the establishment of a standing Joint Civil-Military Transport Committee under the National Council on Transportation.
   “That  CIoTA as a professional body should call on the Federal Ministry of Transportation, through the National Council on Transportation, to undertake an early targeted review of the NLTP 2026 for Federal Executive Council approval, incorporating a National Security and Defence Logistics Annex jointly developed with the Ministry of Defence and guided by a National Military Mobility Framework.
   
“The Conference urges the Office of the National Security Adviser to establish operational security protocols for military movement data within intelligent transport systems and supports the annual reporting of military mobility indicators to the National Council on Transportation.
   “The conference further calls on the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology and relevant professional bodies, including CIoTA, to develop joint civil-military training programmes in movement control, route planning and multimodal logistics to strengthen national security, transport resilience and defence logistics capability.
  
“The Conference recommends a policy shift towards increased investment in Non-Motorised Transport (NMT), including walking and cycling infrastructure, the provision of dedicated lanes through government–private sector partnerships, and sustained public awareness campaigns through radio, television, newspapers, social media, churches, mosques and schools to promote road safety, active mobility and sustainable transport practices.”
  The President/Chairman of Council, CIOTA, Prince Segun Obayendo, noted that previous conferences have consistently drawn attention to critical dimensions of this challenge, including transport safety and security, infrastructure and governance reform, and the repositioning of Nigeria’s transport system for global competitiveness.
   
He however said that the 2026 conference theme, “Integrated Multimodal Transport System for Sustainable Development in Nigeria,” brings these concerns together in a compelling national vision.
   “It reminds us that safety cannot be separated from professionalism; infrastructure cannot deliver its full value without effective governance; technology cannot transform a sector without the right skills and institutions; and investment cannot achieve its intended returns where transport modes operate in isolation.
  
“Our journey must therefore progress from identifying challenges to implementing solutions, from isolated projects to integrated systems, and from fragmented operations to a modern, professional, and investment-ready transport economy.
   “As President of CIOTA, my greatest aspiration is that we should be remembered not merely for the conferences we organised, but for the standards we established, the partnerships we built, the investments we mobilised, and the lasting reforms we helped to advance,” Obayendo stated.