Stakeholders in Nigeria’s transportation sector have called for an integrated transport system linking road, rail, waterways and aviation to reduce logistics costs, ease congestion and support economic growth. They made the call at the 2026 Transport Correspondents Association of Nigeria (TCAN) summit in Lagos, themed ‘Unlocking Economic Growth Through Transportation Logistics.’
Representing the Lagos State Governor, the Special Adviser on Marine and Blue Economy, Emmanuel Damilola, said Lagos could no longer rely solely on roads to meet the transportation needs of its growing population and economy. He said more than 540,000 people lived in waterfront communities, many depending on water transport for mobility and livelihoods.
Damilola said the state was implementing the pound 410 million Omi Eko project to establish a modern inland waterways system, with 15 structured ferry routes, 140 kilometres of dredged waterways, 25 upgraded terminals and 78 modern electric ferries. The project is financed by the European Investment Bank, AFD, European Union and Lagos State Government, with additional private sector participation.
He said the project would integrate water transport with rail, buses, private vehicles and park and ride facilities to improve first mile and last mile connectivity. Citing the Ikorodu to Falomo route, he said a journey that could take more than an hour by road could be completed in about 25 to 30 minutes by water.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Aderibigbe, said Nigeria needed a transport system in which rail, road, maritime, inland waterways and aviation complemented one another.
Opeifa said rail was particularly important for moving large volumes of passengers and bulk freight over long distances, reducing pressure on highways and logistics costs. He said the NRC was expanding freight operations and improving connections between rail lines, seaports, inland dry ports, industrial centres and major economic corridors.
‘The future of Nigeria’s transportation sector must also be driven by stronger partnerships. Government alone cannot provide all the infrastructure and investment required,’ he said, calling for greater private sector participation in rolling stock, freight terminals and logistics hubs. He also urged stakeholders to protect railway infrastructure from vandalism and encroachment.
Representing the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, the Director, Inland Transport Services, NPERA, Mr Paul Garnuwa, said Nigeria’s waterways should form part of an integrated national logistics network.
The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), represented by the Lagos Area Manager, said the country’s rivers, creeks, lagoons and inland waterways could provide efficient corridors for passengers and bulk cargo when properly connected to roads, rail and ports.
NIWA called for greater investment in terminals, jetties, vessel development and logistics, while stressing safety compliance. It also advocated digital tracking, electronic documentation, vessel monitoring and data driven planning to make inland water transportation safer and more predictable.
The Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN) called for sustained investment in inland waterways, describing water transport as a potential driver of economic activity.
Its National Public Relations Officer, Chief Raymond Gold, said members transported commuters, traders and goods across waterways, particularly in areas where road transport was inefficient or inaccessible. He called for investment in jetties, safety infrastructure and operator training.
‘Economic growth through logistics will only be truly unlocked when all four modes of transport are seen as partners rather than parallel silos,’ Gold said.
The Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), in a goodwill message delivered by its National Secretary General, Mohammed Sani Bala, urged government to address infrastructure and operational bottlenecks affecting the maritime logistics chain.
AMATO called for improved roads and port infrastructure, weigh bridges, truck marshalling yards, stronger intermodal connections and digitalised logistics operations. It also demanded action against illegal checkpoints and extortion and sought CNG palliatives for heavy duty truck operators.
The association said adequate truck parks and marshalling facilities would reduce indiscriminate parking on highways and port access roads, while a more efficient logistics system would lower costs, improve competitiveness and support investment and job creation.
The stakeholders agreed that Nigeria’s transportation challenge required coordinated investment in infrastructure, regulation, safety, technology and private sector participation rather than isolated development of individual transport modes.