Fragmented Policies Undermining Nigeria’s Transport Infrastructure – UNILAG Professor
A Professor of Geography at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Samuel Iyiola Oni, has warned that fragmented planning frameworks and inconsistent government policies are severely weakening Nigeria’s transportation system, worsening traffic congestion, regional imbalance and inefficient use of resources.
Speaking as a guest lecturer at the fifth Dr Abubakar Mobolaji Olaseni Annual Lecture Series, held in Lagos, Oni explained that the absence of a coherent national transport policy has resulted in duplicated projects, conflicting investments and poor coordination across road, rail and inland waterways, limiting the sector’s contribution to economic growth and spatial development.
According to him, transport planning in Nigeria is often carried out under overlapping institutional mandates, while frequent policy reversals, political interference and abandonment of long-term transport master plans have weakened policy continuity and eroded investor confidence.
“Rail, road and inland water transport projects are usually pursued as isolated initiatives instead of being integrated into a unified national mobility strategy,” Oni said, noting that this approach reduces overall efficiency and impact.
He added that weak enforcement mechanisms, poor inter-agency coordination and chronic underfunding of transport planning institutions continue to hinder sustainable transport development nationwide.
Describing transportation as both a technical and spatial challenge, Oni stressed that the disconnect between transport investment and regional planning has contributed significantly to urban congestion, regional inequality and systemic inefficiencies across Nigerian cities.
He called for the adoption of stable and coherent transport policies, stronger institutional collaboration, multimodal transport development and the deployment of modern planning tools to reposition the sector for sustainable growth.
In his remarks, YABATECH Rector, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, described the lecture series as a vital platform for advancing policy-relevant discourse, noting that transportation remains central to sustainable urban development, economic expansion and social inclusion amid rapid urbanisation.
