Business and Economy
CILT Stakeholders Seek Urgent Reforms to Cut Logistics Costs, Boost Growth
Nigeria’s Transport and Logistics Sector
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s transport and logistics sector have called for urgent reforms to reduce logistics costs, formalise informal operations and boost economic growth.
They made the call at the 2026 National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) in Abuja.
The Technical Adviser to the Vice President on Transportation, Logistics and Innovation, Prince Segun Obayendo, urged the government and professional bodies to collaborate on formalising Nigeria’s informal transport sector.
Obayendo, who is also the President of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA), said informal operations make it difficult to accurately capture the sector’s contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He cited Rwanda’s pre-booking and ticket reservation model for road transport as an example Nigeria could explore to improve accountability and efficiency.
Also speaking, the Chief of Logistics, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Sulaiman Abdullahi, who represented the Chief of Naval Staff, pledged the Navy’s continued partnership with CILT to strengthen maritime operations and improve logistics services.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Navy recently held its maiden Logistics Seminar in Kano, where a roadmap was developed to reposition its logistics operations for improved service delivery.
In his remarks, the President of CILT Nigeria, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, called for better coordination among road, rail, maritime, aviation and inland waterways to facilitate the movement of people and goods across the country.
Dr. Oyeyemi, a former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, identified infrastructure gaps, high logistics costs, security challenges and weak institutional coordination as major obstacles to sectoral growth.
He stressed the need for improved infrastructure financing, consistent regulations and the adoption of digital technology and artificial intelligence to enhance operational efficiency and decision-making.
In a goodwill message, the Secretary-General of CILT International, Paul McDonough, represented by former International President, Chief Teete Owusu-Nortey, commended the Nigerian chapter for strengthening the institute’s global professional network.
The conference, themed “Transforming Nigeria’s Transport and Logistics Systems for Shared Prosperity and Sustained National Development,” brought together CILT stakeholders from across the globe, policymakers, industry operators, academics and professional bodies to discuss strategies for advancing Nigeria’s transport and logistics sector.