Transport
From The Report: Nigeria 2013
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Underinvestment has led to a shortage of capacity for a country of nearly 170m people, and as GDP growth continues to surpass 7%, the resulting increase in both consumption and production means there is sizeable scope for investment in roads, ports, bridges, airports and other facilities. The government has thus embarked on the process of eliminating institutional obstacles and incentivising private investment, with the hope for steady improvement for the long term. Concessioning at the ports has been a successful early step, for example, as is a revitalised railway system.

This chapter contains an interview with Peter Kieran, President, CPCS.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Incentivising investment: Transport systems are set to be overhauled as a result of increased funding and regulatory reforms
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As anyone who has spent time in a Lagos go-slow will attest, transportation can be a complicated issue in Nigeria. Underinvestment has led to a shortage of capacity for a country of nearly 170m people, and as GDP growth continues to surpass 7%, the resulting increase in both consumption and production means there is sizeable scope for investment in the country’s roads, ports, bridges, airports and other facilities. In 2011, the federal government estimated that N54trn ($340.2bn) in spending…

Interview

OBG talks to Peter Kieran, President, CPCS
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Interview:Peter Kieran What are the priorities for stakeholder management in infrastructure development projects? PETER KIERAN: Generally speaking, monopolistic state-owned infrastructure projects in both developed and emerging markets can often be characterised by strong unions and well-paid workers. Given the critical role of infrastructure, the impact of any industrial activity will immediately be felt if these unions are unhappy with the direction of reform. It is very important that…

Analysis

Infrastructure upgrades: Port facilities will be given a boost to expand transit shipment, increase volumes and limit evasion
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Given the expansion plans at both Abidjan and Tema ports in nearby Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, the rollout of several new public-private partnership (PPP) facilities offers vital potential to significantly improve operations at Nigeria’s ports. Indeed, the picture in recent years is one of improving infrastructure and port capacity. “Soft infrastructure at Nigeria’s ports is no longer the bottleneck it once was,” Glenn MacArtney, head of trade and marketing at shipping firm Maersk, told…

Analysis

On the road: Developing an integrated passenger transport system will be to tackling congestion
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It is perhaps unsurprising that Nigeria’s transportation problem is most acute in Lagos, the country’s largest city with a population that is estimated to range from anywhere between 10m and 17m people. The transportation challenge is one of the top priorities for the city and for the state of Lagos, which governs an area that includes the city proper and its environs, due to the inchoate urban planning that characterises some outlying districts. The issue spills over into neighbouring states,…

Analysis

Rail revival: Planned infrastructure upgrades are set to give new life to a hitherto declining mode of transport
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Rehabilitating Nigeria’s railways is a key element in the country’s overall vision to turn its transportation infrastructure from an obstacle into an opportunity. Whilst railroad services never completely disappeared in the country, the more than five decades since independence have been mostly characterised by a slow decline in capacity, as underfunded agencies grappled with deteriorating assets, overlapping responsibilities and an inconsistent policy approach by the government. The current…

Analysis

The sky’s the limit: New terminals and a growing number of aircraft are set to boost aviation
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The current infrastructure drive under way in Nigeria includes both upgrades and expansions to the country’s existing airports. Beyond the need to keep up with demand for passenger travel and cargo services, Nigeria has several specific goals in mind for its aviation sector: boosting government revenue from its facilities, providing easier access to export markets for those currently situated far from the main international airports, and facilitating a lower-cost operating environment for airlines,…

Analysis

Come together: Public-private partnerships are the preferred solution to address transport needs
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Infrastructure deficits are a problem that has become increasingly common in frontier and emerging markets, and addressing the issue through public-private partnership (PPP) investment deals is a common prescription. Indeed, infrastructure drives based on PPPs are increasingly the preferred method for governments looking to minimise the fiscal burden of capital-intensive projects. Although PPPs are regularly touted throughout Africa as a panacea, there are still only a relatively limited number…