FG Signs Deal on Smart National Transport Data Bank

The Federal Government has signed a concession agreement for the implementation of the Smart National Transport Data Bank (S-NTDB), a project aimed at modernising Nigeria’s transportation sector through technology-driven data management.

The agreement, signed on Monday in Abuja, is between the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) and Asia Arab Investment Nigeria Limited (AAI). Stakeholders described the initiative as a major step towards improving transport governance, planning, security and infrastructure development nationwide.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and chairman of the occasion, Boboye Oyeyemi, described the project as a landmark in Nigeria’s pursuit of an intelligent, data-driven and integrated transport system.

According to him, the Smart National Transport Data Bank will serve as the foundation for a national transport intelligence architecture that integrates real-time data across all modes of transportation, including road, rail, aviation, maritime, inland waterways and pipelines.

“Today is not merely another ceremonial event on Nigeria’s transport calendar. It represents a defining milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards intelligent, data-driven, integrated and technology-enabled transport governance,” Oyeyemi said.

He commended President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approving the National Transport Policy and the implementation framework for the project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The representative of Asia Arab Investment Nigeria Limited, Dr Hisham Ridwan, said the agreement was the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration among stakeholders.

Also speaking, the Director of Legal Services at the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Barrister Olusegun Omotola, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Engr Funsho Adebiyi, said the initiative reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to building a modern, intelligent and secure transportation system.

Omotola disclosed that the FEC approved the project after extensive technical, financial and regulatory evaluations, expressing confidence that it would significantly improve transportation planning and management across the country.

In his remarks, the Director-General of NITT, Dr Bayero Salih Farah, described the S-NTDB as a landmark initiative that would provide Nigeria with a single, integrated and real-time source of transport and mobility data.

He said the project would revolutionise the collection, analysis, sharing and utilisation of transport information for national development.

Farah explained that the initiative originated from a resolution adopted at the 12th National Council on Transport held in Makurdi, Benue State, in 2012, which recommended the establishment of a national transport databank.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to the successful implementation of the project.

Ewalefoh noted that the ICRC reviewed the initiative and issued the Certificate of Compliance that paved the way for Federal Executive Council approval.