A logistics expert, Mr Solomon Aigbavboa, has identified lack of inter-connectivity as a major challenge in the nation’s transportation sector.
Aigbavboa, Managing Director of Flux Logistics Ltd., said this at the 2019 Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) leadership Impact Dinner in Lagos on Tuesday.
Aigbavboa, also a fellow of CILT, spoke on “Airport Operations and Standards of Safety in Nigeria.’’
“If I want to go to the ports, it is only by land transport, there is no means taking either human cargo or goods from land through rails to the ports.
“So lack of interconnectivity on the means of transportation is a big challenge.
“The present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari is working toward improving interconnectivity of means of transportation.
” In the next five months, Nigerians will see rail connection between Lagos and Ibadan; it’s being tested for some weeks now,’’ the logistics expert said.
Aigbavboa said that there was no train linking any of the nation’s airports with the city except you go by road.
He called on federal government to link the Kaduna-Abuja rail to other parts of the north and also link rail lines from south-west to south-east.
He lauded federal government’s planned partnership with Russian government on the Lagos to Calabar rail line project.
Aigbavboa said that the actualisation of effective interconnectivity would solve about 90 per cent of the transportation challenges in the country.
The National President of CILT, Mr Ibrahim Jibril, said that the transport sector accounted for over 70 per cent of the global GDP at present.
Represented by CILT Deputy National President, Alban Igwe, Jibril said the role of logistics, transport and supply chain which formed the bedrock of the service industry could not be overemphasised or underrated.
“In recognition of this fact, the present administration gives priority to the revival of the transport sector in its entire ramifications by the rehabilitation of existing transport infrastructure, provision of new ones as well as ensuring capacity building.
“We have investment opportunities in the rail sector, road transport, inland waterways, deep-sea ports, inland container depots as well as prospects in the aviation sub-sectors,’’ Jibril said.
He explained that Nigeria needed an investment friendly policies and regulatory framework to protect and promote transport infrastructure investments.
According to him, numerous investment opportunities in the aviation sub-sector include developing perishable cargo terminals, development of aerotropolis’ and construction of facilities for maintenance repair organisations.
The six members were inducted as new fellow of CILT.
They are Mrs Olatokunbo Fagbemi, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Waziri Abubakar, Mr Christian Chigbundu, Mr Alex Okosun, Mr Herbert Odika and Mr Ukeagu Kenneth Nnamdi.
