…Works Minister seeks stronger road, rail, maritime, aviation integration

By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.

The Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in the road, rail, maritime and aviation sectors to build an efficient multimodal transportation system capable of driving Nigeria’s economic transformation.

Goronyo, who represented the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the 19th National Council on Transportation, themed: “Developing Effective Transportation Systems for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation.”

He described roads and bridges as the backbone and essential lifelines of trade, commerce and human mobility, stressing that a robust road network was critical to connecting rural agricultural communities with urban markets, seaports and rail terminals.

According to him, the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is giving unprecedented attention to infrastructure development through increased investment and innovative financing mechanisms.

Goronyo highlighted four major legacy road projects being undertaken across the six geopolitical zones, namely the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Calabar-Ebonyi-Abuja Trans-Sahara Highway, and the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Maiduguri-Yola corridor, with a spur from Jos to Ibi in Taraba State.

He said the projects were not merely road construction initiatives but strategic investments designed to enhance national connectivity, stimulate commerce, create employment and strengthen national integration.

The Minister of State added that the projects incorporated environmentally friendly technologies and infrastructure, including the use of cement in place of asphalt, dams for irrigation and renewable energy, solar-powered street lighting and windmill technology along the littoral corridor.

He expressed optimism that their completion would ease movement across the country, enable farmers to transport produce to markets faster, improve industries’ access to raw materials and markets, and provide safer and more comfortable transportation for Nigerians.

Goronyo further disclosed that the Ministry of Works was embracing rigid pavement technology to build roads capable of withstanding heavy traffic and high water tables, thereby reducing road failures.

He stressed that the approach was particularly important given the pressure exerted on Nigerian roads by heavy-duty vehicles, noting that an effective rail system would complement road transportation by moving a significant portion of heavy freight.

The Minister also appealed to Nigerians to protect public infrastructure against vandalism and theft, particularly road and bridge furniture and other critical assets.

He urged communities to take ownership of infrastructure located in their areas and assist government agencies in safeguarding public assets.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Adamu Aliero, commended the Federal Government for the resources being committed to road infrastructure under President Tinubu.

Aliero said no country could achieve sustainable economic growth without a functional road network, describing road infrastructure as critical to national development.

He also described the theme of the Council as timely, saying it provided stakeholders in land, water and air transportation an opportunity to harmonise policies and develop a sustainable intermodal transportation strategy.

He assured that the National Assembly would continue to support initiatives aimed at developing a reliable and efficient transportation network across the country.

Representing the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Alhaji Abdullahi Idi, said the aviation sector had recorded significant progress under the present administration.

He listed improved aviation safety and security, infrastructure upgrades, support for local airlines, human-capacity development, stronger regulatory frameworks and efforts to position Nigeria as a regional aviation hub among the administration’s priorities.

Idi disclosed that Nigeria recorded an Effective Implementation score of 91.45 per cent in the April 2026 International Civil Aviation Organisation safety audit, describing the performance as a significant milestone.

He added that the government was reviewing and strengthening Bilateral Air Service Agreements with strategic international partners to improve connectivity, boost trade and tourism, attract investment and create employment.

According to him, the ultimate test of aviation policies would be their ability to translate into jobs, investment, trade, tourism, affordable connectivity, increased cargo capacity and sustainable economic growth.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, said the ministry was working to strengthen enforcement mechanisms through technology to ensure that traffic offences were properly captured and sanctioned.

He explained that the proposed technological systems would help authorities identify vehicles and drivers involved in traffic violations and facilitate prompt enforcement of penalties.

Adebiyi said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that offenders could not easily evade sanctions while guaranteeing due process, adding that the measures would improve compliance, road safety and responsible driving across the country.

Also speaking, a representative of Global Foremost Impressions Ltd., Prof. Emmanuel Chijioke Ogbonna, described the integrated transportation model being promoted by the Federal Government as innovative and transformative.

He said the Council had provided stakeholders with valuable insights into how the integration of road, rail and other transportation modes could address Nigeria’s transportation challenges.

The 19th National Council on Transportation brought together stakeholders from the road, rail, aviation, maritime and related sectors to deliberate on policies and strategies for developing an efficient, integrated and sustainable transportation system.

The Council reaffirmed stakeholders’ commitment to greater collaboration, strategic investment and coordinated policy implementation towards building a seamless transportation network capable of supporting economic growth, national integration and an improved quality of life for Nigerians.