LASU Professor Calls for Urgent Implementation of National Transport Survey Plan
Funmi Ogundare
A Professor of Transport, Mobility and Development at the Lagos State University (LASU), Charles Asenime, has called for urgent implementation of the National Transport Survey (NTS) Plan and a review of the Master Plan for Integrated Transportation Infrastructure (MITI).
He warned that years of neglect have fuelled informality, inefficiency and safety challenges in Nigeria’s transport system.
Asenime stated this while delivering the 122nd inaugural lecture of the university titled, ‘Who is this Agbero? Catechising the Role of Informality and Non-state Actors in Nigeria’s Transport System and Development’.
He stressed that transport planning and implementation must be treated as a national priority to improve mobility, safety and productivity across the country.
“I recommend the prioritisation of projects contained in the National Transport Survey (NTS) Plan and review of the Master Plan for Integrated Transportation Infrastructure (MITI). It is overdue by so many years,” he said.
He also recommended that every state should develop a transport infrastructure master plan or strategic transport master plan similar to that of Lagos.
According to him, states with littoral communities should establish inland water transport authorities and work closely with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to improve safety and efficiency on waterways.
Asenime further advocated the integration of informal transport operators and non-state actors into transport planning processes to reduce informality and improve regulation within the sector.
He called for greater investment in multimodal transportation, especially rail and inland waterways, as well as improved deployment of intelligent transport systems in areas like traffic control, port operations, vehicle administration, enforcement and transport safety.
The don also urged the federal government to prioritise the development of an integrated multimodal national transport policy and establish an interministerial committee with a supervising minister to oversee implementation.
He maintained that stricter monitoring of drivers’ licence issuance is necessary to prevent unqualified individuals from obtaining licences, while also recommending the establishment of a road transport commission.
Describing transport as central to human existence and national development, Asenime said, “persistent traffic congestion in cities like Lagos continues to reduce productivity and negatively affects the quality of life.
The don stated that transportation plays an octopian role in society through its impact on trade, education, tourism, healthcare, communication, manufacturing and urban development.
He noted that transport supports the movement of goods and services, facilitates imports and exports, aids access to schools and healthcare, enhances tourism, and drives logistics and industrial activities.
Asenime acknowledged the enormous contribution of the informal transport sector to Nigeria’s economy, saying that it has sustained livelihoods and mobility for millions of Nigerians.
“Without it, nearly 80 per cent of Nigerians would struggle to move. Food supplies would dwindle, fish would be scarce, and businesses would grind to a halt. This sector has provided livelihoods to more Nigerians than the formal system ever has,” he stated.
However, he warned that weak regulation, poor enforcement and reckless operations within the informal transport sector have contributed significantly to road crashes and boat mishaps nationwide.
“Accidents do not simply happen; they give warnings. A man who drives or steers recklessly is a man heading towards disaster,” he added.
The professor also blamed the neglect of past transport surveys for increasing informality, saying that it has reduced mobility for low-income earners, raised the cost of doing business and diminished the quality of life for many Nigerians.
On the future of the transport sector, he stressed the importance of diligent planning, faithful implementation and consistent enforcement of transport policies.
Asenime further regretted the low level of awareness about transport as a distinct academic discipline, insisting that it is a major field that drives economies, secures nations and shapes modern civilisation.
He described transport as a force that moves societies forward, adding that the title ‘Olori awon Agbero of Lagos’, symbolises the critical role of both formal and informal transport systems in everyday life and national development.
