By Matthew Denis
The Deputy National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers (NIHTE), Engr. Dr. Bola Mudasiru, has disclosed that Nigeria loses N2.3 trillion annually to flooding and erosion, thereby affecting the transport system across the 36 states of the federation.
Engr. Bola made the assertion during his technical paper presentation on the topic, “Resilient Transportation Systems: Leveraging Technology for Sustainable Urban and Rural Mobility,” at the 20th General Assembly World Civil Engineers held recently in Abuja.
He said: “$280 billion annually is lost worldwide from floods, landslides, wildfires, erosion, and structural collapses, while Nigeria’s infrastructure vulnerability results in N2.3 trillion lost annually to flooding and erosion affecting transport networks across 36 states.
”While speaking on economic stability threats, the expert revealed that Africa suffers an average of $12.7 billion in annual infrastructure losses from natural disasters, quoting the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
In providing solutions to this gap, he explained that resilience means designing systems that anticipate, adapt, and recover—not merely respond to crises, but withstand the challenges.
“Our transport networks must be engineered to maintain functionality during extreme weather, geopolitical tensions, and unforeseen infrastructure failures,” he said.He pinpointed that the key barrier to resilience lies in governance fragmentation, where transport responsibilities are split across federal agencies with limited coordination mechanisms.
The NIHTE Deputy Chairman lamented that in terms of digital positioning, only three cities in Nigeria have comprehensive transport data systems.
According to him, the country is faced with traffic congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, which have severe impacts on urban centres.“In Nigeria, only 15% of roads have adequate pedestrian infrastructure, with a road fatality rate of 20.5 per 100,000 population,” he added.
On the way forward, he suggested that the application of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) will employ advanced Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to optimise transportation network performance, ensuring enhanced safety, efficiency, and traveller experience through real-time data analytics, sensor-based monitoring, and dynamic traffic management.“Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) utilise advanced technology to optimise traffic flow.
Real-time data from roadside sensors, connected vehicles, and mobile devices is analysed to identify congestion and incidents, adjust signal timing, reroute traffic, and provide drivers with up-to-the-minute information.
This integrated approach enhances traffic efficiency and reduces congestion,” he explained.He further stressed that ITS will ensure electric mobility, which represents the most cost-effective pathway to achieving climate goals.
Beyond environmental benefits, electrification will improve citizens’ quality of life by reducing transportation costs—particularly important given the removal of fuel subsidies.
He recommended that the government invest in digital infrastructure by developing comprehensive digital platforms for transport management, including open data systems, real-time monitoring capabilities, and predictive analytics for proactive planning and maintenance.
“Develop integrated systems by creating seamless multimodal transport networks incorporating walking, cycling, public transport, and shared mobility options with unified planning, ticketing, and information systems. Embrace climate resilience by integrating climate adaptation and sustainability criteria into design standards, procurement processes, and performance evaluation frameworks for all transport investments.
“Enhance stakeholder collaboration to foster partnerships among government agencies, private sector entities, civil society organisations, and local communities to ensure transport solutions meet diverse needs effectively. Prioritise professional development by establishing continuous learning programmes for engineers, planners, and policymakers focusing on smart technology applications, sustainability principles, and resilience strategies,” he stated.
He stressed that beyond traffic management, ITS also encompasses a wide range of applications, including adaptive traffic signals, variable speed limits, electronic tolling, and multimodal traveller information systems.
“These technologies work together to create a more integrated, responsive, and user-centric transportation network, ultimately improving mobility, reducing emissions, and enhancing the overall quality of life,” he said.
Engr. Bola also bagged an Award of Appreciation as Technical Paper Presenter for his well-applauded and excellent presentation during the first General Assembly and Conference of the World Council of Civil Engineers in Nigeria and Africa.