By Ogeyi Ebinyi
Nigeria’s transport system has come under fresh scrutiny as industry experts and policymakers gathered in Lagos for the Global Transport Policy Annual Multimodal Roundtable, where stakeholders examined the urgent need to transform the country’s mobility architecture for safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
The event, themed “Transforming Nigeria’s Transport System: Integrating Solutions for Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability,” brought together policymakers, aviation professionals, logistics experts, and academics to assess persistent gaps in Nigeria’s transport ecosystem and propose pathways aligned with global best practices and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking at the roundtable, the Chairman of the Global Transport Policy Annual Multimodal Roundtable, Air Commodore (Rtd.) Ademola Onitiju, who is also the Chief Operating Officer of Pegasus Aviation Consultancy Services Limited and a member of the Aerospace System Consortium, said Nigeria’s transport policy framework—designed over 16 years ago—was originally intended to create a safe, efficient, and environmentally sound system that supports economic competitiveness.
However, Onitiju expressed concern that the system has failed to achieve full integration across transport modes. According to him, “our transport systems are the lifeblood of our economy and communities,” yet they continue to operate in silos, with road, rail, air, and waterways functioning independently rather than as a unified network.
He further noted that urban and rural transport planning remain disconnected, while freight corridors often compete instead of complementing one another. “Transport is more than movement from point A to point B,” he said, adding that it should be understood as a critical driver of social inclusion and a key instrument in addressing climate change.
Delivering the keynote address, President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, emphasized the importance of strengthening institutions and investments to build a resilient transport workforce.
He argued that innovation, effective policy implementation, and sustainable practices are essential drivers of national development, stressing that Nigeria must align its transport reforms with global standards to unlock economic potential.
Also presenting a detailed technical submission, Chairman and Chief Consultant of Global Transport Policy, Dr. Oluwasegun Musa, highlighted significant inefficiencies within Nigeria’s transport and logistics systems. He disclosed that the country loses an estimated ₦3.2 trillion annually (about $4 billion) due to transport inefficiencies, including gridlock, poor integration, and fragmented logistics operations.
Dr. Musa noted that logistics costs currently account for over 42 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), far above the global benchmark of less than 15 percent. He also revealed a structural imbalance in freight movement, stating that road transport handles over 90 percent of goods and passengers, while rail accounts for less than one percent.
He warned that this overreliance on road transport has created economic and environmental strain, describing it as “a dangerous imbalance that inflates costs and emissions.”
Dr. Musa further advocated a shift from fragmented operations to an integrated multimodal transport system, where cargo can move efficiently between rail, road, air, and seaports. He explained that a container transported from Lagos to Kano currently changes hands multiple times and can take up to two weeks to arrive, but integrated corridors could reduce travel time by up to 40 percent and cut logistics costs by 25–30 percent.
According to him, such improvements could also lower commodity prices and boost Nigeria’s GDP by an estimated 1.5 percent. He added that rail transport remains underutilized despite being cheaper, faster for bulk movement, and more efficient for high-volume freight.
On environmental concerns, Dr. Musa disclosed that transport accounts for 2.8 percent of Nigeria’s carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion, with emissions rising annually. He recommended the adoption of smart mobility solutions such as Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), e-mobility, and non-motorized transport, which he said could reduce emissions by up to 20 percent by 2030 while also improving road safety.
The roundtable also featured panel sessions with transport scholars and industry practitioners, including Dr. Fabgenro Abiola Hammed of the Department of Transport Management and Operations at the School of Transport and Logistics, and Charity Bisiriju of the School of Transport and Logistics, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo.
Panelists emphasized practical strategies for addressing Nigeria’s transport challenges, calling for stronger institutional coordination, improved infrastructure planning, and sustained investment in human capital development.
Industry leaders and stakeholders in attendance collectively underscored the need for Nigeria’s transport sector reforms to align with global sustainability targets, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as the country seeks to build a more efficient, inclusive, and climate-resilient transport system.
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