The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the draft National Land Transport Policy, presented by the Minister of Transportation, Sen. Said Ahmed Alkali last week. This policy is the first of its kind in Nigeria’s transport sector since independence and aims to ensure a fast, safe, efficient, affordable, and integrated transport system.
The policy provides a legal framework for developing, coordinating, and administering the land transport system.
The policy aims to create an enabling environment for private sector investments and funding.
The policy will facilitate leveraging global conventions, regional agreements, and protocols to enhance economic growth.
The policy objectives include
Efficient Transport System to maximize socio-economic potentials through efficient transport systems.
Safety and Security to ensuring safety and security in the transport sector.
Investment to attract investments to boost the development of the transportation sector.
The policy has 19 chapters, with implementation strategies outlined in chapters 18 and 19. Relevant federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), states, and the private sector will be involved in implementing the policy.
“The National Land Transport Policy is a comprehensive framework that will make our transport system effective, efficient, well-coordinated, safe, secure, and affordable.” – Sen. Said Ahmed Alkali, Minister of Transportation, while addressing the press.
The approval of the National Land Transport Policy marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s transportation sector, providing a framework for a more efficient, safe, and integrated transport system.
Full text:
PRESS BRIEFING BY HONOURABLE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION, SEN. SAID AHMED ALKALI AFTER PRESENTATION OF DRAFT NATIONAL LAND TRANSPORT POLICY TO THE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL
Introduction
Gentlemen of the Press, permit me to share the joy of a pleasant development which witnessed the presentation, deliberation and approval of the draft National Land Transport Policy by the Federal Executive Council today.
The National Land Transport Policy is the first of its kind in the Transport Sector in Nigeria since its independence.
It aligns with the Eight Priorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR led administration and Ministry’s mandate to ensure fast, safe, efficient, affordable, convenient, integrated and inter-modal transport system that facilitates Nigeria’s socio-economic developmental needs and enhances the quality of life of the citizens.
Inspite of the fact that the land transport system is the predominant mode for movement of persons, goods and services in the country, yet the system of transportation is inadequately regulated, uncoordinated and fully explored, hence, limiting the efficiency of the sub-sector, and negatively impacting on the socioeconomic well-being of the society.
In order to meet the current and future travel needs of the people, a well-developed land transport policy is needed to maximise the socio-economic potentials in the country through efficient transport system.
The significance of the Policy is broad and include, but not limited to the following:
Provision of a legal framework for development, coordination and administration of land transport system as well as delivering to the nation an organised, efficient, competitive, integrated, private sector driven, safe, secure and sustainable world class Land Transportation system that will meet the needs of a growing economy, the organised and professionally administered regime, that will maximize the potentials of national resources; and
creates an enabling environment to attract private sector investments, funding, increase contribution of land transport sub-sector to economic growth, provide direction on how Nigeria could leverage global conventions, regional agreements and protocols such as, World Trade Organisation (WTO), African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), in connecting multiple production clusters with infrastructure to ensure access to market, domestic consumption areas or ports for export or import etc.
The Land Transport Policy became necessary as the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was demerged from the Federal Ministry of Transportation in this current administration, thereby making it the first of its kind in the country since independence. The policy, therefore, is needed to define development of all Rail/Road Sub-sector framework and associated facilitators, enablers and partners.
The Land Transportation Policy covers the National Aspiration of the development of the Road Transport System platforms and Rail Transport System, infrastructure and issues on inter-modalism which create connectivity in transportation as well as funding, partnerships and Green Transportation such as use of energy, non-motorized transportation (cycling and trekking), safety of pedestrians. Also the policy addresses regulations, administration of modes and deployment of platforms, to make collaboration with sub-Nationals easy especially with the recent movement of railway, services from the exclusive to the concurrent list through constitutional alteration.
The Policy recognizes the significance of investment through Public Private Partnership (PPP) to attract investments to boost the development of the transportation sector as enabler of economic growth and gateway to the nation’s economy.
The draft policy has 19 Chapters dealing with all modes of transport and detailed implementation strategies.
The implementation strategies are contained in chapters 18 and 19, pages 56 – 59 and 60 – 72.
In particular, the strategies would be implemented by relevant federal MDAs, States, FCT, the Private Sector and Professional bodies directly or indirectly, affected by the Policy.
The Draft Policy is a product of high consultation by relevant stakeholders in several engagements;
After robust deliberations, the Federal Executive Council was invited to note that while the Air and Maritime modes of transport have some global regulation and oversight by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) respectively, the land transport system is vulnerable given the absence of any policy to regulate any of its operations;
Similarly, the desirability of the Policy is recognised as a framework that will facilitate development, coordination and administration of the land transport system in Nigeria.
The Policy is designed to cover the mandate areas of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, which are Road Transport & Mass Transit Administration, Provision of Joint Border Post (JBP) Infrastructure, Provision of Railway Infrastructure, Regulations and Operations, Intermodal & Multimodal Coordination through the instrumentality of the National Council on Transportation (NCT) and encourage the development of emerging and cross cutting issues such as gender, inclusive transport development, urban, rural and non-motorised transportation realities among others;
Accordingly, the draft Policy was approved by the Federal Executive Council to mark a new era that will provide the nation with a comprehensive framework that makes our transport system effective, efficient, well-coordinated, safe, secure and affordable.
More significantly, the Policy will provide a veritable platform for the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of our dear President which recognised transportation within the scope of top Presidential Priorities.
I thank you all for the kind attention.
