Transport and logistics experts have blamed lack of political will and poor policy implementation for Nigeria’s failure to develop an efficient integrated transport system.

The experts lamented that the country was still lagging behind in integrated transport system despite the arrays of local expertise and repeated government policy initiatives.

The experts stated these over the weekend in Lagos at the 2nd edition of Transport Summit with the theme: Navigating Global Disruption and The Road Ahead: Mobility, Energy and Trade Facilitation for Resilient Future,’ held in Lagos.

Speaking during a panel session on the paper delivered by a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr Femi Aiyegbajeje, ‘Rail-Led Multimodal Integration: Unlocking Efficient Transport, Trade Facilitation and National Connectivity,’ the speakers said the country’s major challenge was not the absence of workable ideas but the failure to translate policies into concrete action.

The Managing Principal of AZ Logistics, Dr Azeez Mustapha, said Nigeria had the capacity to develop an effective integrated transport system, but lacked the political commitment required to implement policies successfully.

He urged the governments at all levels to prioritise implementation and develop a transport integration model suited to the country’s peculiar circumstances.

He said: “You see, some of it we have discussed this several times. Nigeria does not lack anything. What Nigeria lack is implementation. We lack the political will.

“So, we have discussed here about funds a few minutes ago, regarding the connectivity of the Lagos rail to airports. So, let’s see how that works out in the next five years. Implementation is the key because one way or the other, people are benefiting from it. So, the implementation to let that achieve is a very difficult for Nigeria.”

He maintained that the government must demonstrate sufficient commitment to ensure that proposed transport infrastructure and connectivity projects delivered their intended benefits.

Also, the Managing Director of Expedite Movers Nigeria Limited, Olubowala Ade-Onojobi, faulted the country’s approach to policymaking.

She emphasised that successive administrations had introduced policies without ensuring their effective execution.

She suggested that the country could learn from the United Kingdom’s transport system model, but cautioned against adopting foreign policies without adapting them to local realities.

Ade-Onojobi questioned whether imported policies would be fully implemented or just introduced without the institutional discipline and coordination required to achieve their objectives.

“We have policy in this country. There is no year in which the government does not come up with new policies. The authorities should demonstrate how existing policies are being implemented.”

Besides, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Blue Economy, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, maintained that Nigeria did not need to import an entire transport model from another country to achieve effective integration.

He said the country could develop homegrown solutions by building on existing initiatives and adapting them to local needs.

Emmanuel cited the Lagos State Cowry Card as an example of progress in multimodal integration, explaining that the payment platform allows commuters to pay for journeys on boats, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services and rail.

According to him, the system demonstrated how passengers could move across different transport modes using a common payment platform, improving convenience and connectivity.

The Publisher of MMS Plus Newspaper, Kingsley Anaroke in his contribution, called for a gathering of Nigerian transport experts to develop a practical framework for integrating the country’s transport infrastructure and services.

Anaroke stated that Nigeria had the human resources required to design an effective system, but had failed to harness its expertise and implement policies consistently.

He mentioned the country’s Cabotage policy as an example whose expected benefits, had not been fully realised.

He warned that adopting foreign models without addressing local challenges may not produce the desiring results.