The Federal Government has announced plans to create a national data bank aimed at improving efficiency and decision-making within Nigeria’s transportation sector.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration, Dr. Segun Obayendo, during a press conference ahead of the 6th National Transport Conference in Abuja.
The conference, which will take place on November 12-13, 2024, is themed “Sustainable Transportation in a Disruptive Era: The Challenges of Developing Economies.”
Dr. Obayendo pointed out that Nigeria’s road network plays a vital role in the country’s transportation system, handling approximately 90% of both passenger and freight traffic.
He explained that the new data bank would act as a centralized platform for gathering, analyzing, and sharing transport-related data. This would help in the formulation of informed policies and enhance decision-making across the sector.
“This data bank will serve as a hub for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating transport-related data to support informed decision-making and policy formulation in the transport sector.
“The objectives include monitoring transport and logistics activities in Nigeria and providing transport intelligence to stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Transport and its agencies.
“Other are to offer data analytic services to support evidence-based planning and policy decisions,” Dr. Obayendo explained.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Planning Committee for the upcoming conference, Prof. Samuel Odewumi, stated that the event would provide a platform to discuss the state of transportation in developing economies.
“The stakeholders will also deepen efforts to propel the transportation sector into a new era of efficiency, sustainability and inclusiveness,” he noted.
He emphasized that the conference would focus on the integration of disruptive technologies, the impact of human and cultural factors in transportation, and governance strategies aimed at advancing the sector toward greater sustainability and inclusivity.
In a bid to improve safety, reliability, and efficiency in the transport sector, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation has launched an initiative to modernize interstate travel.
The program focuses on accrediting interstate parks and digitizing passenger manifests to streamline operations and provide passengers with safer and more reliable travel options.
