Road transport: Nigeria nearly a century behind —FG

By Luminous Jannamike ABUJA — The Federal Government has begun moves to overhaul Nigeria’s road transport sector, targeting safer roads, modern vehicle fleets, digital systems and stronger regulation in an industry that carries more than 90 per cent of the country’s passengers and freight. The reform drive follows growing concern over the sector’s poor economic return. Despite carrying the bulk of Nigerians and their goods, transport and storage contribute only 1. 56 per cent to GDP, a situation officials say is unsustainable and holding back wider economic growth.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who stated this at a stakeholder meeting in Abuja on Monday, said the Initiative on Road Transport Transformation would prioritise road safety and professional driver development, digital systems for vehicles, drivers and infrastructure, modernisation of the national road network, improved private-sector management and closer coordination among the three tiers of government. Shettima, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Dr Tope Fasua, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration was seeking to turn the sector’s challenges into opportunities through infrastructure development, reforms, digital innovation and cleaner energy. Prince Segun Obayendo, Technical Adviser on Transportation, Logistics and Innovation, however, emphasised the depth of the challenge facing the country. “Germany, France and the United Kingdom formalised their transport sectors in the 1930s. Nigeria is nearly a century behind,” Obayendo said. He said the National Road Safety Advisory Council, chaired by Shettima, would oversee the transformation without creating another government agency, while desk officers from existing state and local government structures would…