By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Director General/Chief Executive, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) Zaria, Dr. Bayero Salih Farah said the institute has resolved to scale up its databank with the aim of improving viability and sustainability.
He disclosed this during a 3-day National Transport Databank Project Pre-implementation Technical Workshop organised by the Institute in Abuja.
He said, “the need to facilitate the development of a National Transport Databank is crucial to the development of Nigeria’s transport sector and economy.
“Being the apex transport research and management development institute in Nigeria, it behoves NITT to take the leading role in advancing discussions amongst transport stakeholders.”
The NITT boss pointed out that the Institute had already been able to achieve a partial automated transport data ecosystem located in the Transport Technology Center of the Institute in Zaria, adding, however, that it plans to scale-up the databank to bridge the existing data silos in the system.
“It is therefore my hope and belief that at the end of this workshop, we shall be able to come up with an advanced infrastructure architecture for the databank capable of upgrading and advancing the national outlook of transport data ecosystem in the Institute”, Farah stated.
Also speaking, Director of Transport Planning and Coordination of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mrs. M.O. Ilori, who represented the Minister of Transportion, maintained that accurate, structured data collection and transport data management were vital to the overall development of the transport sector and the nation at large.
She decried the lack of credible data in the transport sector, noting that it has hampared the realization of the full potential of use of data in the sector.
Mrs. Ilori pointed out that, “in line with Transport Medium-term Development Plan 2021-2025, the Ministry has been mandated to coordinate a robust transport databank that will encompass all modes of transportation. The ministry is encouraging and supporting its agencies to have a subsector database which will be harmonized in collaboration with NITT”.
In all, about 22 papers were presented at various technical sessions.
Prof. H.M. Alhassan of Bayero University, Kano delivered a paper on “Transport Data Gaps and Way Forward for Nigeria”. Prof J.A. Ojekunle’s paper was on “Automated Transport Databank Project: Turkey Case” while Prof. Elizabeth Onwuka’s presentation was titled “Bluetooth Technology and Dedicated Short Range Communication”.
Engr. Dele Fajorin and Engr Debo Shopade (via Zoom from UK) spoke on “ITS Device for Real-time Transport Data Capturing” and “Social media Platforms, Google,Waze, Lyft in Transport Data Analytics” respectively.
Other speakers included NITT Directors: Engr. Elkanah Ngbale, Dr. Danjuma Ismaila, Engr. Remi Adewumi, Dr. Joshua Odeleye, Dr. Mrs. Felicia Nwanosike and Dr. Baba Ibrahim Mundi. Dr. Solomon Jatau and Mr. Kolawole Abdulhameed also presented papers as well as other notable stakeholders drawn from the academia and the transport industry.
The workshop which ended with the adoption of a Communique also had in attendance two former DG/CEs: Dr. A.G Samaila and Dr. Aminu Musa Yusuf.