By Oluwasegun Musa
It is my singular honour to welcome you to the 2026 Global Transport Policy (GTP) multimodal roundtable. Today, we gather at a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s transport evolution. Our theme – Transforming Nigeria’s Transport System: Integrating Solutions for Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability – is not a slogan. It is a strategic imperative.
Let me ground our discussion in data. Nigeria currently loses an estimated ₦3.2 trillion annually ($4 billion) to transport inefficiencies – gridlock, poor modal integration, and logistics fragmentation. Our logistics cost as a percentage of GDP stands at over 42%, compared to a global best practice of under 15%. Road transport carries over 90% of freight and passengers, while rail moves less than 1% – a dangerous imbalance that inflates costs and emissions. Road traffic fatalities exceed 12,000 deaths per year according to recent FRSC data, with another 70,000 serious injuries. These are not mere numbers; they are economic drains and human tragedies.
Our roundtable is anchored on three sub-themes, each supported by evidence.
First: Strengthening Institutions and Investments – Driving a Resilient Workforce.
Only 18% of transport agencies have fully digitized workforce planning. We face a skills gap of over 200,000 trained logistics and multimodal professionals. Without deliberate investment in institutional capacity and human capital, no technology or infrastructure will deliver results. We must move from ad-hoc training to certified, continuous workforce resilience.
Second: Seamless Mobility – Driving Economic Growth through Integrated Transport Systems.
I have consistently said that, cargo can move by rail to terminals, then be distributed by trucks or connected to airports and seaports. That is how an effective multimodal system works. Yet today, a container from Lagos to Kano can change hands five times and take two weeks. Integrated corridors can cut travel time by 40% and reduce logistics costs by 25–30%, directly lowering commodity prices and boosting GDP by an estimated 1.5%. The rail sector – cheaper, faster, and higher volume – must receive the strategic attention it deserves.
Third: Safe and Smart Mobility – Reimagining Transport Systems for a Greener Future.
Transport accounts for 28% of Nigeria’s carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion – a figure rising at 6% annually. Smart mobility (ITS, e-mobility, non-motorized transport) can slash emissions by 20% by 2030 while halving road crashes. We have the tools; we need the political will and cross-sector collaboration.
I have always maintained that government cannot do it alone. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) models, and foreign direct investment are not optional – they are the engine of infrastructure delivery. We commend the federal government’s renewed focus on rail and inland waterways, but we must accelerate. Every year of delay adds ₦800 billion in avoidable logistics waste.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, this roundtable is a call to action. Over the next few hours, we will interrogate policies, showcase relevant insights, and design a practical roadmap for a safer, smarter, greener Nigeria.
I thank you all for your commitment. Let the dialogue begin.
*Being excerpts of a welcome address by the Chairman/Chief Consultant, Global Transport Policy (GTP), Dr. Oluwasegun Musa at the 2026 annual GTP multimodal roundtable in Lagos…recently.
