Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says Nigeria must adopt artificial intelligence, smart mobility systems, digital ticketing, real-time traffic data, and connected infrastructure to effectively tackle its unique transport challenges.
Sanwo-Olu said this at the Global Transport Policy (GTP) Annual Multimodal Roundtable, on Wednesday in Lagos.
The roundtable had the theme, ‘Transforming Nigeria’s Transport System: Integrating Solutions for Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability’.
Sanwo-Olu was represented by the Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mrs Abimbola Akinajo.
The governor said that the tools were not distant aspirations for wealthier nations and should be deployed urgently in Nigeria to address transport realities.
“The countries that will lead in the next phase of global economic competition will be those that combine physical infrastructure investments with intelligent systems.
“Nigeria must be in that race. On sustainability, the transition to cleaner, greener transport systems is no longer optional.
“As a coastal mega city, Lagos has every reason to understand the urgency of climate resilient infrastructure, but this is not just Lagos’s concern, it is a national one,” he said.
He said that leadership in embedding climate responsibility into transport policy would determine whether Nigeria’s current infrastructure investments would remain assets or become liabilities in decades to come.
“Every great economy has been built on a great transport system. As we know, Rome did not merely conquer, it connected.
“ The industrial revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries ran on railways and canals; Asian economic miracles of the 20th Century were enabled by ports and logistic networks deliberately built and consistently maintained.
“Nigeria has the ambition and, indeed, we have the market; we have human capital.
“What we must now demonstrate is the will to build transport infrastructure that this ambition deserves with the rigour, the coordination and the sustained investment it requires,” he said.
Prof. Iyiola Oni, Director, Centre for Multimodal Transport Studies, University of Lagos, also advocated adoption of digital technology for the sector’s growth.
He called for a robust national transport policy that would be holistic to drive the sector.
The Chairman of the occasion, tetired Air Commodore Ademola Onitiju, said that the roundtable was timely.
He highlighted the strategic importance of transport, citing disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz as a reminder of the critical role of global logistics systems.
Onitiju noted that Nigeria’s transport policy was aimed at building a safe, efficient, and environmentally-sustainable system to support a competitive and progressive economy.
He expressed dissatisfaction at the fragmentation of Nigeria’s transport modes, saying that road, rail, air, and waterways transport operated independently.
According to him, this resulted in inefficiencies, poor connectivity, congestion, and limited access, especially in underserved communities.
“Stakeholders must embrace integration through policy alignment, technology, and collaboration, as collective action is essential to build a smarter, inclusive and globally-competitive transport system.
“Panellists should share global best practices, explore public-private partnerships, and develop actionable strategies that will transform concepts into reality and advance integrated transportation across Nigeria and beyond.”
