By Gabriel Agbeja
The Minister of Transportation, Sen. Said Alkali, has called for a collaboration between the private sector and the Federal Government in the establishment of a transport databank in Nigeria.
Alkali made the call on Tuesday, in his keynote address at the one-day stakeholders’ engagement forum on “Smart National Transport Databank (NTD)”, organised by Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria.
The forum had the theme “The Strategic Importance of a Smart National Transport Databank in Socio – Economic Development of Nigeria.”
According to the minister, the objective of the engagement is to guide the way towards an effective and efficient transport data collection and management system in the country.
“NITT has decided to invite all the relevant stakeholders to come together to brainstorm on the strategic importance of developing a viable and sustainable smart transport data bank for the socio- economic development of Nigeria.
“Similarly, this will sensitise stakeholders on the need and importance of transport data for national planning, improved policy formulation and synergy in the transport sector, as well as facilitating economic growth and development.
“I am very optimistic that this event will come out with resolutions that will impact positively on the development of the Nigerian transportation sector in line with the `Renewed Hope Agenda` of President Bola Tinubu’s administration,” he said.
The minister said the decision for the establishment of NTD was approved by the National Council on Transportation at its meeting held in Makurdi, Benue, in 2012.
He added that the institute was mandated by the council to liaise with relevant stakeholders to establish the databank to be housed in NITT and the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
In his welcome address, NITT’s Director-General, Dr Bayero Farah, said that the institute, over the years, had taken a series of measures towards achieving the vision of having a functional NTD.
“These efforts include- the hosting of several workshops in Ibadan 2013, Kaduna in 2014 and the inauguration and hosting of a technical workshop tagged ‘’Towards Development of a NTD Bank’’ which was held in Abuja in 2021.
“Also, in 2022 the institute initiated construction of an Intelligence Transport Centre in Zaria that will house the NTD Facilities, and other advanced Technologies for Research and Development in Transport Technology and Innovations in the country.
“Hence, this forum is, therefore, aimed at securing the buy-in of stakeholders in the sector, such that implementation of this project would enjoy your full support and commitment in the overall interest of the Nigerian Transport system,’’ he said.
He added that the event was also to further sensitise participants on emerging best practices around the world and the need for Nigeria to embrace international global trends.
Farah said Nigeria ought to incline to the best practices in application of digital technology solutions in data analytics including- Artificial Intelligence, sensing technology and use of RFID- to capture data real time in all modes of transport Nigeria. (NAN)
Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa and Chijioke Okoronkwo
