The federal government, Thursday unveiled Nigeria’s first National Land Transport Policy, describing the framework as a major step towards building an integrated, efficient, safe, affordable and sustainable transportation system capable of supporting economic growth and national development.
Unveiling the policy in Abuja at the 19th National Council on Transportation, Vice President Kashim Shettima, said transportation remained central to the nation’s economy because it connects workers, families, businesses, markets and communities.
He noted that the federal government was determined to provide infrastructure capable of supporting a productive, competitive and interconnected economy.
According to him, The government’s approach was shifting from the development of isolated transportation projects to the creation of an integrated national network in which roads, railways, ports, inland waterways and aviation complement one another.
He stressed that the objective was to ensure that transport infrastructure connected production centres with markets, ports and consumers, while improving the movement of people and goods across the country.
The vice president, represented by the Director-General of General Duties, Aliyu Umar, highlighted the government’s railway modernisation programme, describing it as a critical component of the country’s transportation strategy.
He added that the administration was pursuing the development of major rail corridors to improve connectivity across the eastern, central and northern parts of Nigeria, while also strengthening links between ports, railways, roads and logistics hubs.
Shettima specifically cited the Kano-Maradi Railway Project, which links Kano through Jigawa and Katsina to Maradi in the Republic of Niger, saying the project would support domestic connectivity, cross-border trade and regional integration.
He also stressed the importance of linking ports to rail and road networks to facilitate efficient cargo evacuation and reduce pressure on highways.
“Rail must connect to roads. Rail to production centres and markets, while roads provide first- and last-mile access,” he said, stressing that no single mode of transportation could adequately meet the country’s needs in isolation.
Shettima also drew attention to the need for integrated urban transportation, particularly as Nigerian cities grapple with congestion and inefficient movement.
He added that the federal government had approved high-grade urban transportation projects and urged the Minister of Transportation to work with participating states to establish clear technical, institutional, regulatory and implementation arrangements without unnecessary delays.
He said the success of the projects would provide a model that could be replicated in other Nigerian cities.
Speaking in a similar vein, immediate past Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali described the unveiling as a historic development, noting that the National Land Transport Policy was the first comprehensive policy of its kind for the transport sector since Nigeria’s independence.
Alkali described the unveiling as a historic development, stating that the National Land Transport Policy was the first comprehensive policy of its kind for the transport sector since Nigeria’s independence.
He commended Tinubu for creating an enabling environment for the Federal Ministry of Transportation to facilitate the policy’s approval by the Federal Executive Council on July 31, 2025, during his tenure as minister.
Alkali added that the absence of a comprehensive land transport policy had made it difficult for the Federal Ministry of Transportation to effectively regulate the sector, particularly in the face of emerging and increasingly complex transportation challenges.
According to him, The policy aligns with the administration’s eight-point priority agenda and provides a framework for developing a fast, safe, efficient, affordable, convenient, integrated and intermodal transport system.