Organiser of the 2025 Transport Summit, Mrs. Pearl Ngwama, has called for an integrated transport masterplan to propel Nigeria’s growth, stressing that Nigeria’s transport infrastructure must become the engine of national development.

 

Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Transport Summit in Lagos with the theme ‘Nigeria’s Transport Infrastructure: Innovation for a Sustainable Future’, Ngwama said the world’s most advanced nations are built on formidable multimodal transport systems integrating road, rail, air and sea.

 

She said Nigeria’s geographical location and economic diversity offered an unparalleled opportunity to build such networks, linking farms, factories, ports and airports into a seamless logistics chain.

 

“We only have to look around the world to see how advanced nations are built on multimodal transport systems. These systems facilitate trade, improve productivity, reduce costs and drive innovation,” she said.

 

Highlighting Nigeria’s economic momentum, Ngwama noted that maritime trade surged to N130.75 trillion in 2024, marking a 91% increase over 2023. She added that the aviation sector contributed N215.6 billion to GDP, while the rail system recorded sharp increases in both passenger and freight movement in 2025.

“These numbers tell us we have momentum and potential, but also work to do,” she stressed.

Ngwama emphasised that transport infrastructure remains the bloodstream of the economy, asserting that when it flows freely, other sectors thrive, but when blocked, growth is stunted.

 

She urged collaboration among public and private stakeholders to ensure sustainability and innovation drive future transport development.

 

“Our ambition must be to move beyond quick fixes and stop-gap solutions. We must plan, finance and execute systems built to last and adapt as technology evolves,” she added.

 

Ngwama expressed optimism that under the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria could build transport infrastructure capable of transforming trade and connectivity across West and Central Africa.
Ngwama Links ‘Japa Syndrome’ to Poor Infrastructure, Calls for Sustainable Transport Innovation

 

Ngwama also emphasised that Nigeria’s human capital widely regarded as its greatest resource cannot realise its full potential in the absence of robust infrastructure that connects people, markets, and industries.

 

“If transport infrastructure remains underdeveloped, every other sector of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, banking, health, and education will struggle,” she said. “Transport is the bloodstream of the economy. When it flows freely, the organs of the economy thrive; when it is weak, growth is stunted.”

 

She explained that sustainable transport innovation is not merely about constructing new roads or rail lines, but about creating systems that can adapt to new technologies, enhance productivity, and generate local opportunities.

 

“Our young people leave in search of better prospects abroad because we have not created enabling systems at home,” Ngwama said, referring to the rising wave of youth migration known as Japa syndrome. “If we build world-class infrastructure that supports jobs and innovation, our talents will stay and thrive here.”

 

“We must move beyond quick fixes and stop-gap measures,” she added. “We must plan, finance, and execute transport systems that are sustainable, resilient, and built to last.”

 

Nigeria’s freight forwarding industry is witnessing a structural revolution driven by massive investment in freight forwarding infrastructure modernization aimed at cutting inefficiencies, improving trade competitiveness, and diversifying cargo movement beyond roads.

 

Presenting a paper at the Nigeria Transport Infrastructure Summit 2025, Chairman of Widescope International Group, Dr. Oluwasegun Musa, represented by Mr. Mark Onuchi, noted that Nigeria’s freight sector has begun a deep transformation through strategic public-private partnerships and multimodal integration designed to enhance efficiency and sustainability.

 

“Nigeria loses an estimated $8 billion annually to logistical inefficiencies,” Dr. Musa stated, citing data from the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). “That’s why modernization is not optional it’s an economic imperative.”

 

A major symbol of this transformation is the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Sea Port, commissioned in 2023. According to Musa, the facility has already begun to ease congestion at Apapa Port by enabling direct international shipping links and bypassing costly transshipment routes.

 

The port’s 2.7 million TEU annual capacity makes it a crucial hub for Nigeria’s growing container traffic, while its multimodal design linking directly to rail and road networks marks a decisive shift from the country’s outdated mono-modal system that once depended almost entirely on trucks.

 

Studies referenced in Musa’s paper predict the new port could help meet projected container demand increases by 2025 and save shippers up to $300 per forty-foot container, directly boosting Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.

 

Complementing port expansion, Nigeria’s rail infrastructure revival, particularly the Lagos-Kano and Kano-Maradi lines is reshaping how cargo moves inland.

 

“Rail cargo volumes grew by an astonishing 132% in 2018, showing the untapped potential for modal shift,” Musa observed. “Shifting freight from road to rail can reduce emissions by up to 76%.”

 

Inland water transport (IWT) is also seeing a resurgence after years of neglect. Freight forwarders are increasingly using barges and inland vessels to move containers from Lagos ports, reducing truck congestion and cutting transit times for terminal evacuation.

 

“Water transport not only decongests our roads but provides an environmentally friendly alternative,” Onuchi said, noting that barge operations emit far less carbon per ton-kilometer than road freight.

 

These multimodal improvements are translating into measurable benefits: lower costs, reduced travel time, and greater resilience in supply chains.

 

Musa noted that these investments, coupled with policy reforms by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and improved customs procedures, are positioning Nigeria for a major leap on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) where the country ranked 88th in 2023.

 

However, he cautioned that more investment in regional connectivity, particularly the integration of dry ports and logistics corridors, will be essential to sustain momentum.

 

“What we’re building today is not just infrastructure but the backbone of Nigeria’s trade future,” Musa concluded. “Every new rail line and every barge movement brings us closer to a seamless logistics ecosystem.”