The Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) has called for urgent reforms in urban mass transport, citing rapid urbanisation and inadequate infrastructure. At the 6th U.G. Jibrin Distinguished Annual Public Lecture in Abuja, guest speaker Nebolisa Emordi stated Nigeria's urban population has surpassed 100 million, with nearly 70 per cent expected to live in cities by 2050. He stressed the need for strategic planning, regulation and technology-driven solutions to modernise transport systems. Emordi noted that 80 per cent of passenger and freight movement relies on roads, which remain poorly regulated and fragmented. Informal transport, including motorcycles and private cars, accounts for over half of urban transit, exposing gaps in formal infrastructure.
Emordi advocated for integrated multimodal systems combining road, rail, air and water, supported by city-specific master plans, data, and smart technologies like GPS tracking and unified ticketing. He called for public-private partnerships and sustainable infrastructure such as bus lanes, transit stations and CNG-powered buses. NICE Chairman Tokunbo Ajanaku said efficient urban transportation is foundational to national development but remains poorly defined in policy. Nigerian Society of Engineers President Ali Rabiu, represented by Valery Agberagba, said traffic congestion wastes productive hours and hampers economic growth, noting that while many initiatives have started, progress has regressed. The Emir of Nasarawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibrin, blamed policy inconsistency for stalling transport development and urged continuity. Umar Jibrin, former Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, said Abuja's master plan offers a viable transport framework but suffers from weak implementation, particularly in completing road networks for intra- and inter-district movement.
Umar Jibrin points to weak implementation of Abuja's master plan as the core issue, yet the same plan has existed for decades with repeated calls yielding no visible progress. Engineers continue to demand action while the urban population grows past 100 million, increasing strain on already fragmented systems. If the framework is solid but execution fails consistently, the problem is not planning—it is political will. For millions of Nigerians enduring daily gridlock, promises without delivery only deepen the disconnect between policy and reality.
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