CIOTA hosts summit to end traffic violations, enhance accident-free roads in Nigeria 

By Bitrus Donald, Abuja

The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIoTA) has hosted a stakeholders summit focused on ending traffic violations and enhancing accident-free roads and deliberate on adopting intelligent transport solutions in Nigeria.

The summit brought together policymakers, industry practitioners, security agents, academia, and international community stakeholders to address the pressing issue of road safety. 

Speaking at the stakeholders’ engagement on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)  with the themed “Intelligent Transport System” held in Abuja on Tuesday, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIoTA, Segun Obayendo, highlighted the importance of leveraging technology and innovative solutions to address Nigeria’s evolving transport challenges.

He stated, “The theme of this engagement, Intelligent Transport System, could not have come at a more opportune moment than which is geared towards strengthening traffic laws to end the attitudes of violators in the country. 

“As global trends increasingly lean towards sustainable, efficient, and data-driven transport systems, it is imperative that Nigeria aligns itself with these advancements to ensure our transport infrastructure is not only competitive but also adaptive to the needs of our citizens and businesses.

Obayendo emphasized the need for a multidisciplinary approach to reduce road traffic accidents, which are a leading cause of death worldwide, particularly among children and young adults. 

In terms of regulation and enforcement the President outlined that CIoTA to exercise statutory powers to regulate and control professionals in safety and security practices in transport operations by working with stakeholders to develop safety and security technical policies, leveraging technology and innovations.

The Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima noted that the Federal Government is committed towards making Nigeria a world-class in intelligent transport innovation by leading other African countries. 

The Vice President who was represented by Muhammad Ahmed, Senior Special Assistant on Emergency Management, Muhammad  Ahmed highlighted ambitious roadmap to address Nigeria’s transportation challenges while aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Shettima pinpointed the critical challenges facing Nigeria’s road infrastructure by saying “Out of the country’s 195,000 kilometers of roads, only 31 percent are asphalted equating to less than one kilometer of road per inhabitant.

“With 14 million vehicles on the roads, this equates to an average of 260 vehicles per kilometer of asphalted road, underscoring the urgent need for innovative and sustainable solutions to manage Nigeria’s growing transportation demands.”

He emphasised Nigeria’s strategic position in Africa, connected to three of the nine designated Trans-African Highway routes, placing the nation at the forefront of flagship projects such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Trans-African Highway Network, both integral to the AU’s Agenda 2063.

“With Nigeria projected to become the third most populous country by 2050, the adoption of intelligent and autonomous transportation systems is no longer optional but essential,” he said. 

Shettima further explained that these systems offer comprehensive solutions to challenges such as road traffic accidents, overloaded trucks, and enforcement inefficiencies.

“Citing recent road traffic incidents, including the tanker explosion at Dikko Junction in Suleja, Niger State, and another in Enugu State over the weekend, he highlighted the devastating human and economic costs of these challenges,” he said.

He further elaborated on the transformative potential of ITS, which leverages real-time data to reduce traffic congestion, enhance road safety with automated compliance systems, and track driver violations through unified databases. 

The highlights of the programme was presentation of technical papers and deliberations among the professionals to proffers lasting solutions to traffic offenders in the  country.