National land transport policy targets safer, investment-driven transport system

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSoF), Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, has called for stronger integration of Nigeria’s transport modes.

Enitan gave the charge in his opening remarks at the 19th summit of the National Council on Transportation (NCT), themed, ‘Developing an Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation’.

He described transportation as the “lifeblood of the economy,” noting that it connects people, facilitates the movement of goods and services, integrates markets and supports industrial growth.

According to him, without an effective and interconnected transport network, Nigeria’s economic aspirations could remain stagnant.

He, however, identified roads, railways, air terminals, maritime transport and pipelines as key components of the national transportation system.

The HCSoF noted that the NCT had provided a platform for collective reflection and coordination on transportation issues, with states’ experience contributing to national policy development.

Enitan said that the Federal Government’s ambition to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030 requires a seamless, multimodal transport architecture capable of supporting every other sector of the economy.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s newly unveiled National Land Transport Policy (NLTP) seeks to transform the country’s fragmented and road-dependent transport system by greater integration of road, rail, waterways, ports, airports, and pipelines.

Prof. Samuel Odewumi, in his presentation at the event, titled “Land Transportation Policy: Synopsis,” noted that Nigeria’s transport policy journey began with a 1961 Stanford Research Institute study and the 1965 Statement of Policy on Transport, followed by several drafts and revisions that failed to progress to full implementation.

Odewumi said that land transport meets about 90 per cent of Nigeria’s transport needs, while governance responsibilities remain heavily divided among different levels of government, making coordination central to the policy’s success.

He therefore proposed concessioning operations and the use of public-private partnership models to attract sustainable investment in the transport sector.