According to stakeholders, Nigeria must increase its transport multimodality to expand involvement in the global supply chain, especially the African Continental Free Commerce Agreement (AfCFTA), and to improve both foreign and regional commerce.
The stakeholders stated that it was critical that Nigeria open up its transportation network to international destinations such as Rotterdam and Antwerp, two of the busiest and largest ports in Europe, Bangkok, Thailand, and Venice, Italy.
According to them, the nations have established water transportation networks that serve millions of passengers daily along the rivers that link the ports and the hinterland. These networks include river buses, canal boats, and water taxis.
They made this declaration yesterday at the inaugural event hosted in Lagos by the Nigerian-Belgian Chamber of Commerce in association with Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL). According to Philippe Droesbeke, Manager of the Port of Antwerp Bruges, Nigeria has to improve its transport multimodality to industrialize and increase its foreign trade, short sea shipping, and regional marine cabotage.
According to him, Nigeria’s population is predicted to double to 400 million people by 2050, therefore expanding the country’s multimodal transportation system is imperative to fulfill the growing needs brought on by regional integration. Droesbeke asked the federal government to enact cogent decongestion strategies and boost supply chain connection by improving port connectivity.
According to him, improving and modernizing Nigeria’s ports, railroads, and highways would reduce traffic while also increasing capacity as the nation transitioned from a monolithic to a diversified economy. Additionally, Droesbeke pointed out that the development of the lower Niger ports for export will boost the agro-economy and promote multimodal transportation.
While Lagos consistently tops global rankings for the most crowded cities, Veronique Bernard, Deputy Head of Mission/Consul, Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria, stated that traffic congestion is one of the unsolvable problems in some regions of Europe, particularly Belgium.
With a population that is still increasing and a heavily trafficked network of roads and highways, she claimed Lagos must realize that the busier the economy becomes, the more stagnant traffic becomes.
According to Bernard, the widespread switch from fossil fuel-powered to electric vehicles could be a game-changer for the climate issue but won’t solve traffic congestion. This, she claimed, is the reason why people in Belgium and throughout Europe never give up on the idea of modal shifts: night trains that are reasonably priced for excursions into cities, and ships and trains that remove enormous trucks from the already congested road network.
Bernard stated that the direction is exactly where Lagos’ tremendous unrealized potential begins. He also added that Lagos is ideally situated to become the Venice of West Africa because of its massive lagoon and many available canals.
Olabode Makanjuola, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Caverton Offshore Support Group, stated that congestion, inefficiency, and inequality are caused by the current transportation infrastructure’s inability to satisfy the demands of urban areas.
The TomTom Traffic Index, which ranked Lagos as the second most congested city in the world in 2020 with an astounding average level of 71%, according to Makanjuola, who was represented by Kome Agbaje, Manager of Corporate Affairs at Caverton Marine Limited, stated that congestion translates to decreased productivity, increased fuel consumption, and heightened stress levels, posing risks to the environment and human health.
According to Makanjuola, there are several options for growing and scaling up water transport services to other areas and markets. He claimed that water transport viability is a solution to urban transport difficulties.
By transferring some of the demand for road transportation to waterways, he claimed that water transportation has the potential to lessen both environmental damage and traffic congestion. Makanjuola stated that this will open up new possibilities for trade, tourism, and development in addition to enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of transportation.
He emphasized that several issues, including inadequate infrastructure, legislative barriers, security concerns, and public opinion, impede the growth and operation of water transport services.
Makanjuola, however, provided a list of remedies that included making investments in the building and upkeep of water transportation infrastructure, including canals, jetties, terminals, and navigational aids.
He mentioned a few more, including improving the security and safety of water transport by deploying security personnel and equipment and enforcing adherence to safety standards and protocols, as well as harmonizing and streamlining the regulatory framework and processes for water transport, such as licensing, taxation, and inspection.
Additionally, he emphasized raising public knowledge and acceptance of water transportation through campaigns of sensitization and education, as well as by outlining the advantages and benefits of water transportation.
Speaking on behalf of the state on road decongestion, Emmanuel Oluwadamilola, General Manager of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), stated that rail and water transport systems are a vital addition to transportation.
He noted that the state administration has implemented measures to increase safety and promote the use of waterways for transportation as part of its attempts to solve the situation.
According to Oluwadamilola, the state government has constructed vital infrastructure, such as floating jetties, to enable all types of boats to navigate at all times during low or high tides.
