FEC approves first Nigeria national land transport policy
By Matthew Denis
The minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali has disclosed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has officially launched Nigeria’s first-ever National Land Transport Policy, which has been approved by key stakeholders.
He made the announcement during his keynote address at the 7th National Conference of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Minister said: “Upon my appointment as minister, I set it as one of my critical objectives. With commitment, perseverance, and the cooperation of all major stakeholders – particularly CIOTA and its key members – and with the support of Mr President, we were able to get the policy approved at the Federal Executive Council.”
Speaking further on efforts to reposition transportation in Nigeria, Alkali highlighted technological innovations: “The successful test flight of logistics drones developed by engineers at the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, exemplifies our commitment to indigenous innovation. We are positioning Nigeria to harness smart mobility solutions, intelligent transport systems (ITS), and blockchain-enabled logistics to enhance transparency and sustainability.”
While addressing the conference, the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, said the state’s transport systems had been comprehensively overhauled to improve efficiency.
Meanwhile, CIOTA President Prince Segun Obayendo said the conference theme, “Repositioning Nigeria’s Transport Infrastructure and Governance Models for Global Competitiveness”, underscored that Nigeria is not just building transport systems, but also the arteries of a modern economy.
“Global competitiveness in transport means seamless multimodal integration. A passenger should be able to travel from Kano to Lagos by rail, connect to an international flight, with cargo moving simultaneously through efficient logistics chains. It requires governance models that prioritise efficiency over bureaucracy and innovation over tradition.
“With an estimated 27 universities offering transportation programs, six polytechnics providing logistics and transport education, and five institutes of maritime studies, we have the educational infrastructure.
However, the persistent mishaps on our inland waterways are concerning because the operators are largely unprofessional. If the sector is not professionalised, what becomes of our children pursuing these courses? This underscores the urgent need for rigorous training, certification, and enforcement of professional standards across all transport modes.”