- CIoTA National President/Chairman of Council, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, flanked by the Deputy National President, Darlington Ofor (left), and Chairman, Planning Committee, Emmanuel Nwagbara (right), during the press conference in Lagos ahead the 2nd National Transport Summit in Abuja
Industry stakeholders and experts from all relevant sectors will be brainstorming on the development of a sustainable transport infrastructure as the 2nd National Transport Summit of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA) opens in Abuja on December 1.
The three-day summit, with the theme, “Building Sustainable Transport Infrastructure in Nigeria: Opportunities, Innovations and Technologies”, will be chaired by former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd).
Addressing newsmen in Lagos ahead of the event, CIoTA National President, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, disclosed that the summit would address inter-connectivity challenges and funding issues across the sector, with focus on rail network, highways and bridges, deep seaports, and airport concession agreements.
He noted that such key stakeholders as the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, among others, would be part of the programme.
According to Jamoh, the summit is an opportunity to build on the gains of the maiden edition held last year even as CIoTA, as the foremost and exclusive chartered body designated to drive the nation’s transportation sector, will continue the push to achieve its mandate.
Jamoh, who is also the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), described inland ports as a hybrid of innovation and technology for extending the hinterland ports, adding the rebuilding of Nigeria’s transport infrastructure was ongoing on many fronts.
“There are enormous challenges in the effort to develop the transportation sector in the country,” he stated. “These include funding, public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements, institution building and, lately, Covid-19, which increased the risks of transportation globally.
“The summit will address these issues, using the expertise and rich industrial experience of the speakers, discussants and active audience participation.”
Jamoh also hopes that the summit will address sustainable transportation in Nigeria in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It is also expected to analyse the innovations and current challenges in the air and road transport modes, and discuss the nation’s automobile industry as an example of successful indigenous vehicle technology development.
The summit will feature CIoTA’s 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM), as well as technical sessions and panel discussions on a wide range of topics on the country’s transport challenges and solutions.
