The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIoTA) of Nigeria, led by its President, Prince Segun Ochuko Obayendo, is seeking the proper coordination of all the transport modal policies of Air, Land and Marine to form a National Integrated Transport Policy (NITP).

At a press conference on Wednesday to present the Communique of the 2025 National Transport Conference, CIoTA said the coordination will be helpful to local and foreign investors and will promote multimodality.

According to the institute’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Mrs. Chizoba Anyika, the Institute has urged government to establish a transport regulatory body to be known as Transport Management Authority.

Recall that the 7th National Transport Conference, Fellowship Investiture/Membership Induction, Contransp Certification and annual General Meeting of the Institute took place from November 4 to 5, 2025, at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja-FCT.

The theme of the conference was ‘Repositioning Nigeria’s Transport Infrastructure and Governance Models for Global Competitiveness’
After the event, the institute released a communique aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s transport infrastructure and governance models for global competitiveness.

According to the communique, CIOTA reaffirmed its role in professional certification, training, advocacy and sector leadership. It called for institutional transparency, accountability and regulatory coherence as essential for sustainable transport infrastructure development.

It further read, “The conference welcomes the approval, within the year 2025, of the first National Land Transport, Marine and Blue Economy policies. The Honourable Minister acknowledges CIoTA’s contribution to the drafting of the policy.
“The conference resolved that there is a need to collaborate with the transport unions to deepen transport education and training in Nigeria, thereby improving productivity, operational efficiency, effectiveness, and professional ethics.
“The Honourable Minister of Transportation presented an impressive report on the master plan, ongoing and completed infrastructure projects, especially concerning rail and modern mega passenger terminals across the six geographical zones of the country.
“That CIoTA should collaborate with the Government to ensure public enlightenment and the effective implementation of the National Land Transport Policy, and the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, thereby enhancing and modernising the country’s transportation system.
“The conference noted that only three states, Lagos, Kano and Kaduna, have a State Transport Policy and therefore call on others to develop their policies to guide the development of the sector. It is expected that they will align their policy with the national framework,” Dr. Anyika said.

The conference further highlighted the need for multimodal integration: connecting road, rail, air, maritime, and inland waterways to boost efficiency, reduce logistics costs, and position Nigeria in global supply chains for it to maximise the AfCFTA regime.

Also, CIoTA has determined to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Transportation to develop and implement Smart Mobility and Intelligent Transport System (ITS) across the nation. This partnership, the communique said, will help to modernise Nigeria’s transportation infrastructure, enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability, and align the nation’s transport operations with global standards.

Reading out the communique, the Chairman Planning Committee, Prof Odewunmi, said, “That there is a need for government to establish a Road Transport Management Authority to plan and manage the orderly development of the mode, which is responsible for more than 90 per cent of the sector’s mobility needs. As the NCAA is to Aviation, NIWA to Inland Waterway, NRC to Railways and NIMASA for International Maritime/Shipping.
“CIoTA is ready and willing to assist with developing the transport policy for the government at all levels through its special-purpose consultancy outfit, well-suited to the drafting.
“That there is a need for improvements in the linkage of port infrastructure and the national rail network to enhance port efficiency and put the Inland Dry Ports to maximum use. Implement a deliberate policy to activate the use of the Eastern ports, thereby reducing congestion in the Western ports, improving ship turnaround time and cargo dwell time, and making the Nigerian ports more attractive to shippers.”