The Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima has revealed that the Federal Government is committed towards making Nigeria a world-class in intelligent transport innovation by leading other African countries.
He made the disclosure during a stakeholders’ engagement on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) with the themed “Intelligent Transport System held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Vice President who was represented by Muhammad Ahmed, Senior Special Assistant on Emergency Management, Muhammad Ahmed highlighted ambitious roadmap to address Nigeria’s transportation challenges while aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The event organized by the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA), brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to deliberate on adopting intelligent transport solutions.
Shettima pinpointed the critical challenges facing Nigeria’s road infrastructure by saying “Out of the country’s 195,000 kilometers of roads, only 31 percent are asphalted equating to less than one kilometer of road per inhabitant.
“With 14 million vehicles on the roads, this equates to an average of 260 vehicles per kilometer of asphalted road, underscoring the urgent need for innovative and sustainable solutions to manage Nigeria’s growing transportation demands.”
He emphasised Nigeria’s strategic position in Africa, connected to three of the nine designated Trans-African Highway routes, placing the nation at the forefront of flagship projects such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Trans-African Highway Network, both integral to the AU’s Agenda 2063.
“With Nigeria projected to become the third most populous country by 2050, the adoption of intelligent and autonomous transportation systems is no longer optional but essential,” he said.
Shettima further explained that these systems offer comprehensive solutions to challenges such as road traffic accidents, overloaded trucks, and enforcement inefficiencies.
“Citing recent road traffic incidents, including the tanker explosion at Dikko Junction in Suleja, Niger State, and another in Enugu State over the weekend, he highlighted the devastating human and economic costs of these challenges,” he said.
He further elaborated on the transformative potential of ITS, which leverages real-time data to reduce traffic congestion, enhance road safety with automated compliance systems, and track driver violations through unified databases.
According to him the Federal Government unveiled several key initiatives to modernize Nigeria’s transportation sector:Pilot Programs Intelligent transport system pilots will be launched in Lagos, Kano, and Bauchi to demonstrate their effectiveness and secure buy-in for nationwide adoption.
“Unified National Database: A centralized vehicle and driver database will be established to enhance compliance and enforcement, streamlining regulatory processes.
“Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Resources will be mobilized through collaboration with private sector stakeholders to drive innovation and ensure sustainability.
Shettima stressed that the success of these initiatives depends on collaboration among federal, state, and local governments, private sector leaders, international partners, and civil society.
“The time for planning has passed. We are in the decade of action,” he declared. “Together, we must remain unified in purpose to achieve these transformative goals.”
For his part, the president and chairman of the Governing Council of CIoTA, Prince (Dr.) Segun Obayendo, highlighted the importance of leveraging technology and innovative solutions to address Nigeria’s evolving transport challenges.
He stated, “The theme of this engagement, Intelligent Transport System, could not have come at a more opportune moment.
“As global trends increasingly lean towards sustainable, efficient, and data-driven transport systems, it is imperative that Nigeria aligns itself with these advancements to ensure our transport infrastructure is not only competitive but also adaptive to the needs of our citizens and businesses.”
The Chairman of Oyo state Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Adebowale Olufemi Awakan who speak for all IRS forum calls for laws to strengthen traffic violators to boost revenue generation.
He advised that at the end of this stakeholders meeting there will be roadmaps to shape the sector with regards revenue generation in various states.