Nigeria loses more than ₦3.6 trillion to inefficiencies and operational challenges in its transportation and logistics sector, raising concerns about the cost of doing business and the movement of goods across the country.
The Director-General of the Africa Centre for Supply Chain, Dr Obora Madu, disclosed the estimate at the BusinessDay Mobility and Logistics Conference in Lagos, where industry stakeholders called for better coordination across Nigeria’s transport networks.
Madu said poor connectivity between transport systems was undermining business operations, particularly for small-scale enterprises. He stressed that expanding infrastructure alone would not resolve the challenges without effective integration and coordination.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, also identified an integrated transport system as essential to improving economic competitiveness.
He said inefficiencies contribute to traffic congestion, rising logistics costs, delayed deliveries, reduced productivity and higher prices of goods and services.
Opeifa called for stronger connections between road, rail, maritime and air transport, explaining that each mode should complement the others. Rail, in particular, could help move large volumes of freight over long distances and ease pressure on highways.
The concerns highlight how transport delays and fragmented logistics can increase costs for businesses and consumers. Better coordination, improved infrastructure and more efficient cargo movement could help reduce avoidable expenses and strengthen access to markets.
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