Joyce Mmereole Okoli
Nigeria’s rail system is facing significant challenges, and the root cause is a lack of proper planning, transportation expert Dr. Segun Musa has criticized the Nigerian government’s handling of the country’s rail system. He claimed that a lack of proper feasibility studies before awarding contracts to the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCCC) has led to the failure of the rail sector to deliver as expected.
Dr. Musa, the Managing Director and CEO of Widescope International Logistics Limited said this while speaking at a recent Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) Roundtable Discussion in Lagos. He emphasized that government’s failure to invest wisely in the rail sector has hindered the development of Nigeria’s transportation infrastructure.
He argued that the decision to focus on passenger rail rather than cargo rail was a significant oversight. According to him, a cargo-centered rail system would have generated substantial returns and eased traffic congestion, as freight movement plays a more critical role in boosting the economy.
“The country’s rail system is not functioning as it should because we have not injected the spirit of a proper transport policy. The government has been conducting a ‘litmus test’ for the past 20 years without considering solutions tailored to Nigeria’s unique needs.”
“Since the Babangida era, we’ve had lofty policies, but they haven’t made a positive impact because we haven’t embraced a proper transport policy,” he said.
He further highlighted the broader impact of the government’s mismanagement of the transport sector, pointing out that ineffective policies have extended beyond the rail system. The road transport sector, he said, is disorganized due to a lack of regulation and standardization, while the aviation industry suffers from mismanagement and excessive levies, leading to inefficiencies.
“The road Transport sector is the most unorganised sector in the whole of Nigerian transportation industry. In the road transport sector, once you have money, you buy trucks, trailers and cars and put them on the road. No regulations in place, no standardisation.,” Dr. Musa said.
Dr. Musa warned that the continued neglect and mismanagement of the transport sector would have dire consequences for the country’s economic growth.
He urged government to revise its approach, prioritizing a comprehensive transport policy that supports infrastructure development and fosters economic prosperity.
“Toiling with the transportation industry is toiling with the entire nation. There is need for government to reform the sector,” Dr. Musa concluded.