By Omoyeni Ojeifo
The Federal Government has commenced the rollout of the Smart National Transport Data Bank project, with Kaduna, Lagos, Nasarawa, Borno, Enugu, Edo States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) selected as pilot locations for the flag-off phase.
The concession agreement for the development and implementation of the data bank was signed in Abuja on Monday, marking the official start of the initiative, reports Persecondnews correspondent at the event.
Speaking at the occasion, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Dr. Bayero Farah, said the initiative marks a major shift toward an integrated transport data system designed to enhance national planning, improve coordination, and drive sustainable economic development.
“This initiative represents a major shift toward an integrated transport data system that will strengthen national planning, improve coordination, and support long-term economic development,”he said.
Farah explained that the selected pilot states will serve as testing grounds for system validation, refinement, and performance assessment before nationwide deployment.
“The choice of Kaduna, Lagos, Nasarawa, Borno, Enugu, Edo and the FCT is strategic. These locations will provide the foundation for evaluating the system’s effectiveness before scaling it across the country.”
Farah added that the system will significantly improve transport planning, security coordination, and infrastructure development through real time data access and analytics.
“This system will ensure that transport planning and operations are guided by credible and up-to-date information, strengthening efficiency and eliminating reliance on assumptions across the sector.”
He called for strong collaboration among federal and state agencies, as well as private sector partners, to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the project.“The success of this initiative depends on sustained cooperation across all stakeholders. We must work together to deliver a system that meets global standards of efficiency, transparency and innovation,”he added.
The NITT boss expressed optimism that the initiative will enhance governance, improve logistics efficiency, and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and global trade.