In order to attain an effective intermodal transport system in the country, the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for the use of artificial intelligence (AI), smart mobility systems, digital ticketing, real-time traffic data, and connected infrastructures.
Sanwo-Olu averred that the use of these tools remains the only way to address the increasing ills plaguing the transport sector of the economy and place Nigeria on a sustainable economic growth and prosperity.
The Lagos State number one citizen sated this at the Global Transport Policy (GTP) Annual Multimodal Roundtable which took place at Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos recently.
The round table with the theme “Transforming Nigeria’s Transport System: Integrating Solutions for Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability”, was attended by Nigerians from all walks of life including stakeholders in the maritime sector of the economy.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented at the round table by the Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo averred that technology-driven transport solutions are no longer exclusive to advanced economies and must be embraced to modernize Nigeria’s transport networks.
He argued that countries that will dominate the next phase of global economic competition will be those that combine robust physical infrastructure with intelligent transport systems.
According to the governor, Nigeria must be in that race. The transition to cleaner and greener transportation is no longer optional but a national imperative.
He noted that as a coastal megacity, Lagos fully understands the urgency of climate-resilient infrastructure, adding that climate responsibility must become a central component of transport policy nationwide.
The governor warned that today’s infrastructure investments could become future liabilities without sustainable planning and environmental considerations.
In order to drive home his assertions, Sanwo-Olu drew lessons from history even as he pointed out that every great economy had been built on an efficient transport system.
He cited the Roman Empire, the industrial revolution, and Asia’s economic transformation as examples of how strategic investments in transport infrastructure accelerated development in other climes.
His words: “Nigeria has the ambition, the market, and the human capital. What we must now demonstrate is the political will to build transport infrastructures with the coordination, discipline, and sustained investment it requires.”
The Director of the Centre for Multimodal Transport Studies, University of Lagos, Professor Iyiola Oni who also spoke at the event, called for the adoption of digital technologies.
In the same vein, the don called for what he described as a “comprehensive national transport policy” to drive sector-wide reforms.
The Chairman of the occasion, Air Commodore Ademola Onitiju (retired), described the roundtable as timely, noting that recent global supply chain disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz underscored the strategic importance of integrated transport systems.
Onitiju expressed concern over the fragmentation of Nigeria’s road, rail, air, and water transport networks, saying the lack of integration has resulted in inefficiencies, congestion, poor connectivity, and limited access, particularly in underserved communities.
The don enjoined stakeholders to strengthen policy coordination, leverage technology, and deepen collaboration to build a safer, more efficient, inclusive, and globally competitive transport system.
Onitiju used the occasion to encourage stakeholders, especially participants to adopt global best practices, promote public-private partnerships, and develop practical strategies capable of transforming Nigeria’s transport sector to what it ought to be.
