The Federal Government says ongoing rail and port projects will reduce road accidents, extend highway lifespan and create thousands of transport-sector jobs.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Funsho Adebiyi, stated this on Monday in Abuja during the 19th National Council on Transportation.
The meeting was with the theme, ‘Developing Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation.’
Adebiyi said ongoing projects were designed to address connectivity deficits and improve the movement of passengers and cargo nationwide.
He said completing the Ibadan-to-Minna rail line would shift substantial heavy cargo from roads to rail, reducing pressure on highways.
According to him, dry ports along the corridor would facilitate container handling and reduce the distance covered by trucks.
“By the time that one is completed, you now have a dry port where each container can be moved and offloaded.
“So, the distance to be covered by trucks will now be from the train station into the city where the services are to be delivered,” he said.
Adebiyi said shifting cargo to rail would directly benefit road users by reducing highway deterioration and improving road safety.
“This simply means the pavements will last longer. The accident rates will be reduced. The risk on our roads will be reduced,” he said.
He also disclosed that reconstruction was ongoing at Apapa Port, with the entire deck being rebuilt to improve port operations.
Adebiyi said port operations were being automated while procedures for vessels were also being updated to improve efficiency.
“So, port congestion will soon be a thing of the past. Cargo movement becomes easier, efficient, safe, faster, economical,” Adebiyi said.
The permanent secretary said the accident rate had significantly reduced, urging Nigerians to support government efforts towards developing efficient transportation systems.
He said the transport transition would generate broader benefits, including economic growth, improved accessibility, trade facilitation and employment.
Speaking on the meeting’s theme, Dr Emmanuel Oche of Transport Growth Initiative stressed the need for a human-centred transportation system.
Oche said integrating public transport with private-sector participation should prioritise citizens’ needs rather than industrial interests.
“Nowhere in the world where public transport infrastructure is built for profit; it is not possible.
“It is social service investment that profits everybody. Nobody loses when public transport works,” Oche said.
He said high transportation costs were worsening poverty, stressing that integrated public transport, alongside walking and cycling options, could address the challenge.
Oche called for coordinated transport options that would provide affordable, accessible and efficient mobility for citizens.
Declaring the meeting open, Head of the Civil Service, Abel Enitan, described transportation as the lifeblood of the modern economy.
Enitan, represented by Dr Ishiyaku Musa, Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office, said transport was crucial to Nigeria’s industrial and economic development.
He defined integrated transport as systems that move people and goods quickly, safely and affordably while minimising fatalities and environmental challenges.
“It connects people and communities, facilitates movement of goods and services, expands access to markets, supports trade and investment,” he said.
He added that efficient transportation would enable industrial and economic growth and help Nigeria realise its full economic potential.
Enitan said integration required seamless connectivity between transport modes, including unified payments and synchronised schedules.
He explained that commuters should ideally travel from their origin to destination using one ticket or integrated transport arrangement.
The Head of Service also stressed that integration should minimise human-to-human interactions to reduce opportunities for corruption.
He noted that the National Council on Transportation had provided a platform for federal and state governments to coordinate transport policies for nearly two decades.
Enitan described the meeting as timely and strategic, given Nigeria’s current stage of national development.
“We must develop a well-connected, efficient, and resilient transport system in which road, rail, air, and maritime transport operate as complementary components,” he said.
He added that pipelines and other logistics infrastructure should also operate within an integrated national transport network.
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