The Imperative of Inter-Modal Transport System in Nigeria: A Case Study of Asaba and Onitsha Transportation System

Abstract

: Transport system in Nigeria is predominantly uni-modal as it is estimated that over ninety per cent of goods and passengers are transported by road. The over-reliance on road transport for the transportation of bulk of goods and people has contributed greatly to the deterioration of Nigeria’s roads and the attendant increase in road maintenance costs. Researches by scholars have revealed that a single means of transport cannot adequately serve the intra and inter-transport needs of the majority of people living in urban cities. Asaba and Onitsha located at the banks of river Niger have outlets for water-based transport services, which are yet to be fully developed and integrated with the dominant road transport system. Bulky goods that arrived by sea are best transported from the port through the waterways to inland ports. The Onitsha port, which was established in the 1980s has not been functioning and this makes road transport the only option for transportation of goods and people between the two cities. It is against this background, that this paper surveys the transport modes in the two cities and advocates the need for inter-modal transport modes that would ensure seamless movement of people and goods between the two cities and with other parts of the country. The paper submits that for the two cities to derive full benefits of the different transport modes, there is need for efficient inter-modal transport systems linking the two cities and regions in order to minimize the frequent chaotic traffic congestion on the Niger bridge. The optimal utilization of inter-modal transport modes would enable each transport mode to perform its distinctive roles which would lead to faster transportation of passengers and goods as well as ensure reduction in transport costs. The paper also proffers ways of achieving an efficient inter-modal transport system between Asaba and Onitsha and Nigeria at large.