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· The promise of mobility-on-demand can redefine the transportation landscape in West Africa, argues NICHOLAS UWERUONOYE
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Mobility on Demand (MoD) is emerging as a transformative catalyst for urban transportation across West Africa, with promising applications in Nigeria. By enabling real-time, cost-effective ridesharing and integrating autonomous systems, MoD solutions have the potential to alleviate congestion, reduce travel times, and optimize transit operations in bustling urban centers throughout the region. MoD is a term that refers to flexible technology driven transportation services offering real time ridesharing options. The inherent inefficiencies and how these MoD providers can optimize efficiency on their digital platforms have become a necessary concern in countries like Nigeria where dispatch response times fall short of meeting economic and social appointments. While looking up materials for MoD systems to write this article, I interestingly stumbled across the profile of an African in the diaspora and an expert in MoD systems, Dr. Benjamin Lartey. At the heart of Lartey’s research is the transformative potential of demand ridesharing. He developed an innovative dynamic vehicle dispatch framework that uses a computationally efficient one-to-one assignment strategy, significantly reducing response times while maintaining competitive profit margins. Extensive experiments using New York City’s taxicab open-source data, demonstrates that his framework operates up to ten times faster than current methods. Its scalability holds tremendous promise for high demand in urban centers such as Lagos, Accra, and other bustling cities throughout Nigeria, Ghana, and West Africa.
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Intrigued by his expertise in both MoD and autonomous systems, I reached out to him to gain his insights on how these cutting-edge technologies can impact the transportation landscape across West Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Ghana. Dr. Lartey shared his perspective on the subject, submitting that, “MoD systems are currently focused on addressing urban mobility challenges in the USA and other developed countries; however, they can be seamlessly adapted to meet the demands of cities in Nigeria, Ghana, and other African nations. The MoD ridesharing approach is not just beneficial; it is essential for transforming daily commuting experiences in these regions.” He continued, “Nigeria’s urban areas present specific challenges that require scalable and rapid response solutions. I am committed to leveraging the power of artificial intelligence, optimization, and autonomous technology to enhance efficiency and drive economic growth across the region.” The insights from Dr. Lartey highlights the immense potential of optimised Mobility-on-Demand systems to revolutionise urban transportation in West Africa and the entire continent at large. As cities in Nigeria, Ghana, and beyond face challenges such as traffic congestion, inefficient transit systems, and rising transportation costs, the integration of these advanced technologies offers a promising pathway to create more connected, efficient, and sustainable urban environments. By adopting efficient vehicle dispatch frameworks and embracing state-of-the-art technology, cities can achieve faster, more reliable, and cost-effective transportation services that significantly enhance the quality of life for millions of residents.
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Dr. Lartey’s contributions extend beyond his research. I was sold on his impressive educational and social background that makes his odyssey even more inspirational. Born in Ghana and having risen from the challenging conditions of his Ghanaian backwater community, his journey is nothing short of inspirational. As one among a thousand determined youths, his relentless pursuit of academic excellence saw him top his class from elementary through high school. This dedication earned him admission to the premier Ghanaian institution, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, where he graduated with first class honors in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. His outstanding performance later led him to be selected as one of the top five candidates to pursue a PhD at the Testing, Evaluation, and Control of Heterogeneous Large-scale Systems of Autonomous Vehicles (TECHLAV) Center at North Carolina A&T State University, where he had the privilege of working under NASA Langley Distinguished Chair Professor, Dr. Abdollah Homaifar. His journey is a testament to how passion and perseverance can pave the way for groundbreaking achievements. In light of these remarkable accomplishments, there is a strong argument to be made for the Nigerian government to consider setting up transportation research centers in universities across Nigeria. Such centers would not only foster local talent and innovation but also create platforms where experts like Lartey can share their knowledge and expertise, further spurring technological advancement in the country.
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The promise of Mobility-on-Demand can redefine the transportation landscape in West Africa. Alongside visionary researches in specialized transport focused university in West Africa, like the Federal University University of Transportation in Daura, Katsina State, which is the about the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa providing specialized education in transportation Engineering, logistics and management. The Nigerian government’s commitment to establishing research centers in local institutions outside of this transport focused university, could play a pivotal role in harnessing this potential. This approach will help ensure that the future of urban mobility is not only connected and efficient but innovative and sustainable.
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Uweruonoye, bureau chief of Daily Independent, writes from Ilorin, Kwara State