The Federal Government has unveiled Nigeria’s first National Land Transport Policy, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration seeking to integrate roads, railways, ports, inland waterways and aviation into a seamless national transport network.
The policy was unveiled on Thursday in Abuja at the 19th National Council on Transportation, held at the National Judicial Institute, Jahi, with the theme: “Developing an Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation.”
Representing Vice President Kashim Shettima at the event, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar, said the policy was central to the government’s plan to build a more productive and competitive economy.
He said transportation should no longer be treated simply as an infrastructure issue, stressing that an efficient transport system connects workers, businesses, markets, families and communities.
According to him, poor transportation infrastructure and inefficient movement of people and goods impose huge costs on economic activities.
Umar said the Federal Government was moving away from isolated transport projects to a coordinated system in which different modes would complement one another.
“Rail must connect to roads. Rail to production centres and markets, while roads provide first- and last-mile access,” he said.
He identified the ongoing railway modernisation programme as a major component of the government’s strategy, noting efforts to improve connectivity across the eastern, central and northern parts of the country.
The Vice President’s representative also highlighted the Kano-Maradi Railway Project, which links Kano through Jigawa and Katsina to Maradi in Niger Republic, saying it would boost domestic connectivity, cross-border trade and regional integration.
He said the government was equally working to strengthen links between ports, rail and road networks to facilitate faster cargo evacuation and reduce pressure on highways.
On urban transportation, Umar stressed the need for integrated systems to tackle congestion and improve movement in Nigerian cities.
He urged the Minister of Transportation to work with participating states to develop clear technical, institutional, regulatory and implementation arrangements for approved urban transport projects.
According to him, successful implementation of the projects could serve as a model for other cities across the country.
He said the success of the new policy should ultimately be measured by shorter commuting times for workers and students, safer journeys, reduced transportation costs for families and faster movement of goods for traders and businesses.
Former Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali, described the policy as a historic development, saying it was the first comprehensive national land transport policy of its kind.
Alkali said the lack of a comprehensive framework had limited the Federal Ministry of Transportation’s ability to effectively regulate the sector amid growing and increasingly complex transportation challenges.
He disclosed that the policy was approved by the Federal Executive Council on July 31, 2025, during his tenure as minister, while commending the Tinubu administration for providing the environment for its development and approval.
According to him, the policy provides a framework for a fast, safe, efficient, affordable, convenient, integrated and intermodal transportation system.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, said the policy would ensure that Nigeria’s various modes of transportation operated as components of one national system.
“Our roads, railways, ports, inland waterways and urban transport systems must connect people and goods efficiently across the country, and increasingly, across our borders,” he said.
Adebiyi cited the operational Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna rail corridors as evidence of progress towards greater integration.
He added that work was also advancing on the Kaduna-Kano segment of the Lagos-Kano Railway Modernisation Project.
The 19th National Council on Transportation, which began on August 31 and ended on September 3, brought together stakeholders from federal and state governments, transport agencies, the National Assembly and the private sector to deliberate on measures to improve Nigeria’s transport system.
