The National Publicity Secretary of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA), Dr. Chizoba Anyika, has emphasised the need for professionalism and institutional participation as key drivers for innovation and sustainability in Nigeria’s transport sector.
Dr. Anyika made this call while speaking as a panellist at the Maiden Summit of JustAlive Communications Limited, themed “Nigeria’s Transport Infrastructure: Innovation for a Sustainable Future,” held on Wednesday, 29th October 2025, at the Providence Hotel, GRA, Ikeja.
In her remarks, she noted that the transport industry’s progress hinges on the competence, ethics, and continuous professional development of practitioners. According to her, “the sustainability and efficiency of our transport systems cannot be separated from the quality and professionalism of those managing and operating them.”
She further urged stakeholders across the public and private sectors to actively participate in the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA), which serves as the professional body for the transport and logistics industry. “CIOTA provides the platform for practitioners to gain knowledge, share insights, and contribute to policies that shape the future of mobility in Nigeria,” she added.
Dr. Anyika also used the opportunity to highlight the upcoming National CIOTA Conference, describing it as a convergence point for policymakers, transport professionals, researchers, and innovators to exchange ideas that will deepen reforms and foster sustainable transport solutions across the country.
In her words, organiser of the 2025 Transport Summit, Mrs Pearl Ngwama, emphasised the need for an integrated transport master plan to drive Nigeria’s growth.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Transport Summit in Lagos, she noted that advanced nations benefit from strong multimodal transport systems that connect road, rail, air, and sea.
“We only have to look around the world to see how advanced nations are built on multimodal transport systems. These systems facilitate trade, improve productivity, reduce costs and drive innovation, ” she said.
Ngwama highlighted Nigeria’s strategic geographical position and economic diversity as key opportunities to develop seamless logistics networks. She reported a significant rise in maritime trade, reaching N130.75 trillion in 2024, a 91% increase from 2023, and mentioned that the aviation sector contributed N215.6 billion to the GDP, while the rail system saw sharp increases in passenger and freight movement in 2025.
She noted that Nigeria’s geographical location and economic diversity provide a unique opportunity to establish networks that connect farms, factories, ports, and airports into a seamless logistics chain.
“We only have to look around the world to see how advanced nations are built on multimodal transport systems. These systems facilitate trade, improve productivity, reduce costs and drive innovation,” she said.
