Jokingly, the problem of traffic can be compared to an epidemic. While some countries have found significant success in managing traffic congestion across their cities, for others, the situation seems to worsen.
In Nigeria, a huge amount of time is being lost on the road, in cities like Lagos, due to poor public transportation networks. No wonders Lagos holds the title for ‘The Traffic Capital of Nigeria,’ but public transportation can be optimized to reduce this menace.
Good public transportation systems have over time proven effective in solving traffic congestion across the world’s most populated cities. This has gone beyond just expanding roads.
More so, the wideness of a road cannot hinder or reduce traffic, as long as many vehicles plying it continues to increase. In a growing population like Nigeria, the number of privately owned vehicles on the road are increasing daily. To reduce the numbers, effective public transport is a good alternative.
As a country with poor public transport infrastructure, a committed development to this sector, exploring options in rail and water transport, will not only reduce traffic but also promote economic activity and prosperity.
Also, effective public transportation can do more than improving traffic flow. It can also provide social and economic benefits. For commuters, it saves money and reduces the costs of maintaining a private vehicle.
Interestingly, an investment in public transportation can also become a source for revenue generation for government and private entrepreneurs.
Public transportation will also create a source of income for unemployed people and boost workforce development. It will sustain wealth creation and also help in the movement of products and other items around safely and timely.
In essence, a good public transportation plan in Nigeria will lay out an ambitious roadmap to address traffic issues, connect our workforce to job opportunities, and prepare our systems for more economic and social change.
