Category: Features

What can the 28 coastal states do differently as the sixth cycle of the country’s democratic journey begins on May 29? Perhaps, a lesson or two could be picked from Lagos’ strides on the waterways, writes ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE

Perhaps, a permanent feature or identity that has stuck to Lagos is its intractable traffic gridlocks, which, it would seem, have defied all solutions deployed to tackle it head-on.

 From what used to be limited only to roads connecting its many urban centres–whether on the Mainland or Island, nowhere is safe any longer of nerve-wracking traffic which has made Lagos a peculiar state.

 Ordinarily, traffic, which ought to be a sign of its economic prosperity, is not only the country’s financial and economic capital but also Africa’s fifth-largest economy.

 Successive administrations, in their bid to provide lasting solutions, have been tinkering with alternatives to soak in the traffic blues and leave people with a better travel experience.

 However, the situation keeps getting worse. Just like its predecessors, the people have tons of tales to tell in the last four years, despite the huge investments of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

 Lagos, with a population of close to 24 million as at 2022 (Lagos State Bureau of Statistics), has a total road network of 2,700 km (and still growing).

 Its roads play host to over five million cars and 200,000 commercial vehicles, and a vehicle density of 740 per kilometre. This makes it far above the 11 vehicles per kilometre national average.  Statistics further indicate that over 22 million round trips are made per day in Lagos. 

Undoubtedly, with Nigeria’s population spilling over 200 million and the dominance of road transportation and the attendant effect of the concentration on this mode of mobility, especially as regards billions of Naira committed to road constructions, there is no gainsaying that alternative modes of transportation can be explored by the government, just like Lagos is doing.

The LASWA model

The Lagos State Government literally saw the future several years ago with the establishment of the Lagos State Ferry Service (LAGFerry) during the tenure of Alhaji Lateef Jakande in the 80s; a feat taken several notches further in the fourth republic by Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (now President-elect), and his successors–Babatunde Raji Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and to the incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

 They all have continued to massively invest in water infrastructure in Lagos, developing the waterways and opening fresh frontiers of mobility across the state that, despite its small size, is home to over 10 per cent of Nigeria’s total population.

 The result of these investments by the visionary leaders of Lagos since 1999, have yielded substantial fruit, especially with the creation of a state regulatory body for private and commercial water transportation in Lagos State.

 Established in 2008 the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) regulates and promotes the use of Lagos inland waterways, encourages sustainable investments, and develops lasting waterways solutions for the people of Lagos.

 Over the years, the Lagos water transport sector has grown to become a model and a benchmark for inland waterways development in the littoral states.

 The creation of LASWA and robust investment by the Lagos State Government has, over the years, resulted in millions of ridership on the waterways, high safety standards and an increasing reduction in boat accidents and attendant casualties.

 Aside from the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Lagos State examples have shown that other coastal states may need to establish their own agencies to develop, control, and regulate their waterways transportation just like the Lagos model.

 There is no doubt that the replication of a LASWA in these states will mean a duplication of the successes of the authority in those states.

 The argument here is that littoral states in Nigeria should be encouraged to set up state-controlled safety, regulatory and development agencies for water transportation.

 There is, therefore, no doubt that the following states with the potential of water transportation will climb phenomenal and unprecedented pedestals by following the Lagos template through the creation of state regulatory and development agencies or authorities to anchor their water transportation initiatives.

 The states are Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.

 LASWA’s General Manager, Mr Damilola Emmanuel said the status quo where NIWA controls inland waterways in the states except Lagos, is inimical to the development of water transport potential of the affected states.

 For instance, NIWA, unlike LASWA, does not engage water guards that monitor boat operators and ensure safety compliance from the jetties to the waters in all those states, this might be one of the reasons for incessant boat mishaps in those affected states.  Between January 2020 and October 2022, at least 701 people lost their lives in 53 boat accidents, according to The Punch.

 The fatalities, which involved the passengers and the boat operators, were attributed among other things to overloading, careless driving, poor maintenance of boats and turbulent weather.

 Boat accidents are more frequent during the rainy season between April and July. A breakdown showed that Niger State had the highest number of recorded boat mishaps of 176, followed by Kebbi State which was 84; and Anambra State 80.

A further breakdown of the incidents showed that a total of 216 people died last year, with Benue recording six deaths; Jigawa 34; Bauchi five; Taraba 18; Niger 16; Bayelsa 22; Anambra 77; Delta, five; Kogi four; and Sokoto 29.

 In 2021, 296 people were reported dead with 142 in Niger; Kebbi 76; Bayelsa seven; Delta two; Taraba five; Sokoto 13; Kano 40; Jigawa seven; and Ondo four.

 A total of 117 casualties were recorded in boat mishaps in 2020. Kebbi had eight; Bayelsa six; Bauchi 33; Niger 18; Sokoto nine; Rivers 16; Anambra three; Delta 10; and Benue 14.

 Conversely, since the establishment of LASWA, boat accidents in Lagos State have reduced significantly and this has boosted the confidence of riders who now prefer water transportation to road transportation.

 Despite the millions of riders recorded annually on water transportation in Lagos; the highest by any state in Nigeria, minimal cases of boat accidents were recorded since the creation of LASWA.

 Though the state continues to record an increase in the number of commercial ferry operators and ridership, so is the possibility of an increase in the number of boat mishaps, but accident cases have remained extremely low compared to what is being recorded by other states with low ridership yet high incidents and casualties.

 Though the control of the Lagos Inland Waterways and the duplication of regulatory functions have remained a challenge between NIWA and LASWA; the dispute between the two agencies and between the Federal and the state Government over the control of the Lagos Inland Waterways has resulted in a plethora of legal battles.

A Federal High Court in Lagos in a suit filed by fishermen in Eti-Osa with suit no: FHC/L/CS/1098/07 affirmed Lagos State Government’s Authority and power to legislate territory of the state inland waterways while stating that the National Inland Waterways Authority lacked the constitutional power to regulate inland waterways within the state.

A seasoned waterway expert, Michael Olatunji said the National Assembly is empowered by the Constitution to legislate on any matter on the Exclusive Legislative List set out in Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the Constitution; especially items 29, 36 and 64 which list items on the exclusive list to include international and interstate waters.

 It added that there is nothing in the exclusive list that deals with intra-state waterways either in Lagos or any other state.

 The absence of the Lagos State intra-waterways in the Exclusive List means it is automatically a residual item that falls within the legislative competence of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

 The above position was reaffirmed by the Court of Appeal in a matter between Lagos State Waterways Authority and three others V The Incorporated Trustees of Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transportation in Nigeria and five others (including NIWA) APPEAL NO. CA/L/886/14 where the Court held that the Lagos State House of Assembly is competent to make laws in respect of the intra- inland waterways in Lagos State except the intra-state waterway declared as international or interstate waterways under item five in the Second Schedule to the National Inland Waterways Act which falls within NIWA’s jurisdiction.

 The Lagos State Government owned seven terminals, 14 standard jetties and 29 community jetties, which are being managed by the Lagos State Waterways Authority.

 About 316 registered ferry operators ply the 28 commercially-viable routes on the Lagos Inland Waterways and the ridership figure, according to LASWA source, is hovering around two million passengers monthly.

 In the past 13 years of its existence, LASWA has invested billions of naira to make the state’s inland waterways navigable all year round, constructed standard jetties/terminals, regular removal of shipwrecks and water hyacinth, channelisation, installation of marker buoys and safety signages on the routes for smooth navigation.

 Sanwo-Olu’s massive strides in terms of investments in water transport infrastructure and services have repositioned LASWA into a model of excellence, whose partnership NIWA now courts.

Upon assumption of office, the governor approved the employment of additional water guards to coordinate safety activities at jetties and terminals, and bought two new patrol boats, two jet skis and other safety equipment.

 He also approved the establishment of a Search and Rescue Unit, and recently, he inaugurated first of its kind Waterways Monitoring and Data Management Centre (control room) at LASWA’s Falomo Headquarters, a move the National President of Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIOTA), Prince Olusegun Ochuko Obayendo said will create massive business and employment opportunities on the state’s inland waterways.

 LASWA, in conjunction with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, also recently launched the Waterways Floating Clinic, a fully-fitted medical ferry that serves as an Emergency Floating Clinic on the Lagos Inland Waterways while also attending to the health needs of the riverside communities in Lagos State.

 The Lagos State Government, through LASWA, periodically donates thousands of life jackets to ferry passengers, commercial boat operators, and riverside school children in all parts of the state, while also sensitising the people to waterways safety measures and precautions on a regular basis.

In Nigeria currently, Lagos is the only state that has developed a multi-modal transport system having the Road, Rail and Water transport networks linked together, and a transport fare payment system called Cowry card to complement the commuter’s trip experience.

 Also, the five-cowry ferry terminal at Falomo Lagos which equally serves as LASWA head office is rated as a world-class water transport infrastructure. The facility has a car park, floating pontoon; fuel dump, an ATM centre, ticketing area, relaxation spots, a cafeteria, and arrival and departure areas, among others.

 Globally, LASWA is becoming a model water transport agency. The giant strides in the Lagos water transport sector have attracted international technical support, grants and partnerships from countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and France.

 Below is a list of jetties and terminals constructed during the first four years of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu: Badagry Terminal, Ijegun-Egba Terminal, Apa Jetty, Ilashe Jetty, Liverpool Jetty, Offin-Ikorodu Jetty, Ito-Omu Jetty, and Ilado Jetty.

 LASWA has become a success and a model worthy of being copied by other coastal states considering a boost in their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). If they replicate the template, first by creating state-controlled waterways regulatory authorities to attract investment from the private sector; that will ultimately lead to an efficient waterway transport system and the safety of lives of the waterways

Identity thefts, data privacy abuses and other sundry crimes on digital platforms have become common in Nigeria in recent times. In this report, Assistant Editor BLESSING OLAIFA examines how government institutions respond to the challenges

The past three years have witnessed a critical transformation for Nigeria in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, and the navigation of Nigeria towards digital platforms to address multiple challenges. The ICT sector, with the attendant infrastructure deficits, poses a challenge to the socio-economic transformation of the country. No country in modern economy toys with ICT infrastructures upon which digital transformation and inclusion are built.

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration came on the mantra of tackling economic woes, addressing security challenges and fighting corruption.

 Therefore, for the administration to succeed, especially in its assigned tasks, the ICT industry became a platform upon which every pillar of development is built. The administration initiated far-reaching policies to address infrastructure challenges, develop local content, promote competition through regulatory mechanisms and framework, drive digital inclusion; boost employment generation and investment opportunities, among others.

Among many of the institutions birthed by the policies of the Federal Government through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy was the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) led by its first Chief Executive Officer and National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji.

 The Bureau was established last year to respond to critical challenges in the data protection sector and leveraged available platforms to harness the vast opportunities within the digital ecosystem.

 Prior to its creation, it was a department under the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA. But with the resolve of the government to give data administration its pride of place with an enabling law, the creation of the Bureau became imperative.

 It is believed that for a country seeking to deepen global competitiveness, boost employment generation, investments in the data economy became crucial. This explains why economic experts now refer to data as the new oil since crude oil revenues continue to shrink across the globe.

 The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, during the maiden edition of the ‘Digital Economy Regional Conference at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, emphasised the importance of building strong digital platforms, especially among African countries for the growth of African economies.

Pantami, who spoke on the theme “Positioning West Africa’s Digital Economy for the Future,” submitted that in the fourth industrial revolution, data remains a key factor. He maintained that the future is data, not oil revenues anymore and that Nigeria must not, in any way, lag behind.

 The minister, who buttressed his points by reeling off statistics on ICT contributions to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product for the past three years, noted that no sector has achieved much like the ICT sector for the economy.

 He advocated that for the gains to be sustained, it was imperative for the administration to back up the digital economic sector in relation to data protection with enabling law. 

 The minister had  a strong driving force towards Nigeria’s digital identity to promote economic development, improve security and prosperity.

 “Today, it is a global best practice to have a data protection law in place; otherwise you will find it difficult to attract so many interventions that are of benefit to your country. Even potential investors may ask questions to know whether you have data protection laws in your country or not.

 “If you don’t have any data protection law in place, they will feel uncomfortable investing because today, data is critical. Whenever we engage with potential investors, we try to convince them of the need to come to Nigeria to invest, and they always ask if we have a data protection law.

 “But we have subsidiary law. Many of them do agree with subsidiary law, at the same time, many disagree that subsidiary law is sufficient for them, but in Nigeria it is sufficient,” he said.

 Pantami also said to address the issues, his ministry proposed the establishment of a fully-fledged data protection institution and principal legislation of data protection in Nigeria to President Buhari and subsequently obtained the approval for establishing the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau.

 Another aspect of the matter is data awareness. For data awareness advocacy across the country, the minister ensured that Nigeria keyed into the annual observance of the World Data Privacy Day on January 28 January every year.

The advocacy to raise awareness on privacy also coincides with the anniversary of the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (Convention 108 of the United Nations) which was opened for signature on January 28, 1981.

 Nigeria is now foremost in Africa when it comes to creating awareness on Data Privacy. The development has made citizens to become conscious of their rights and the need to enforce them.

 In a chat with ICT stakeholders,  Pantami said Data protection law is not crafted in any way to punish citizens, but rather to create awareness “so that we will all be accountable to one another; whether as data controllers or as data processors.” Pantami further advocated a culture of compliance by design.

 However, some experts in the private sector have expressed concerns about personal information and data, and how they are protected by the laws of the land especially as the country now has multiple social media platforms and digital outfits that manage information on finances, loans, health, businesses, insurance,  travels,  etc. Experts also expressed fears over the fall of vital information regarding an individual or individuals into the wrong hands.

 The Nigeria social media space had in recent times become a platform for the abuse of personal information and data. There are cases of impersonation, identity theft, hacking and attacks and bullying amongst others. But government authorities maintained they are equal to the task of protecting citizens’ rights and privacy rights.

 However, the prevailing view among some experts is that without a principal law, it may be difficult to guarantee the stability of the gains already recorded. For them, it is also important to attract investment through strong institutions and legislation. 

They believe that the 9th National Assembly, though in its twilight, should urgently transmit the data protection bill to President Buhari for assent before May 29, 2023. The bill would provide an additional layer of protection for the country’s digital identity ecosystem and ultimately safeguard Nigeria’s digital economy, boost investor’s confidence, grow foreign direct investment, improve the GDP, and ensure robust protection of personal information, should the President assent to it before the exit of the administration.

It is the position of the NDPB that businesses and organisations will be held accountable for any data breaches or privacy violations with the appropriate penalty paid. But foremost, is the integrity, security and trust built within the sector as a driving force for the overall development of the economy. Industrial players are encouraged to take data protection seriously and implement adequate technological and organizational measures in order to protect personal data, a senior official of the Bureau told our correspondent.

Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of Jidaw Systems, an ICT Consulting Firm, Mr. Jide Awe, said Nigeria needs to have a strong data protection law as more Nigerians use different Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools which expose their data.

 According to Mr Awe, data protection has now gone beyond having a regulatory agency. He insisted that there should be a strong law that can be enforced to protect the privacy of citizens.

 Awe said: “While Nigeria has a national data protection regulatory agency, the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), responsible for regulating data protection and ensuring compliance with the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), protecting data privacy rights may requires more than just having a regulatory agency.

 “It is hoped that Nigeria and other countries in a similar situation would enact comprehensive national data protection legislation to provide stronger legal and regulatory backing to data protection regulation and help to ensure consistency and effectiveness in addressing data privacy concerns.”

 For investors, a data-secured environment is a major attraction. It is an assurance that their information is safe and secure and not subject to abuse. It also explains why many developed countries do not toy with data protection.

 Our correspondent observed that many development partners, international financial institutions, critical stakeholders as well as potential investors have continued to ask questions in relation to the effectiveness of Nigeria’s data protection law going by the series of infractions across the country. There are online loans giving outfits that have allegedly abused citizens’ rights to privacy of information and data. The NDPB has also carried out clamp-down operations against such platforms. But the advice to the public is that many of such outfits have no known or authentic addresses.

 Interestingly, Data Protection Law is constitutionally captured in Nigeria. Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides that: “The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected.”

 In the same manner, the core rights of data subjects under the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation provide that a data subject has a right to be informed, right to access, right to object, right to data portability, right to erasure, right to restriction of processing, rights to rectification and rights regarding automated decision making.

 It is evident that having such a law in place will align the country with scores of others around the globe and make Nigeria a global player, while the lack thereof is economically injurious.

According to Dr Olatunji, the risk of not having a principal act is enormous not least because the legal reliefs enforceable by citizens could be extremely difficult to obtain.

 Dr Olatunji said: “First, it is about our reputation as a country. Individuals and organizations are moving almost everything into digital platforms. The foundation to anything you do online is your digital identity. You must have an identity.

“Furthermore, there are some countries that are regarded as whitelist countries. Mostly, these are countries that have their laws and supervisory authority in place. And there are some things you need to put in place to be able to qualify to get to that level.

 “The opposite of a white list is the black list. This implies that countries that are not on the whitelist do not have adequate regulatory frameworks in place and they do not have independent supervisory authorities.

 “Similarly, we have to address privacy breaches which result in identity theft and other abuses online. These are issues which are really important to any digital economy. But when you have a law in place, and you have a supervisory authority, there is a reasonable assurance that the rights and bona fide interests of all parties will be protected.

 “There are strong signs that Nigeria will get it right eventually. The Nigeria Data Protection Bill has been transmitted to the National Assembly. ICT and Cybersecurity Committees members of both the Senate and House of Representatives have shown a strong commitment to the passage of the Bill.

“Nigerians will continue to keep their fingers crossed as stakeholders collaborate in ensuring that data privacy takes firm root in the overall interest of sustainable development in Nigeria.”

The Netherlands is Europe’s largest exporter of onions. The success of the agricultural sector is buoyed by a dynamic logistics infrastructure which sustains and supports quality, competitive pricing and a long-shelf life, to withstand extended shipping times. Daniel Essiet reports

According to the Coordinator of Agribusiness and Youth Empowerment, Community of Agricultural Stakeholders of Nigeria, Sotonye Anga, seamless logistics connectivity is an important factor in agricultural exports success.

 The process begins with the farmer harvesting through the packing station and from there to the port, from where they export to countries by sea. Sometimes, the produce is trucked to inland domestic destinations.

 Given his vast experience, Anga believes that the ineffective performance of the transport and logistics industries has caused agro-exporters higher cost on produce.

 According to him, ugly developments in the logistics chain means a lot for export flows, adding that a further escalation of the obstacles could have major consequences which may be in terms of backlogs and delays in shipment that resulted from the disruption of the supply chains, and uncertainty for the operational business of shipping lines and their customers.

 Agriculture, he noted, is the backbone of the economy, and could provide much-needed jobs and support food security and prosperity for the country. For this reason, he said the country needed an ambitious agriculture sector transformation growth strategy, predicated on a logistics connectivity response to bolster technological advancements, build capacity, intensify market linkages and increase participation in agriculture.

 The sector, he indicated, is on an upward trajectory with immense potential for further growth. He urged for more efforts to create a vibrant agro-processing industry with foreign exchange earning potential and increased employment. He said unless such steps are taken, export levels could remain below their potential.

 In recent years, a lot of industrial clusters have been created. These include transport and logistics, agro-industrial, automotive, cluster of construction materials and metalwork.

 Some world renowned foreign firms have interest in some of the industrial clusters; a situation that has given a boost to aggregate volume of investments.

Despite this, the Nigerian logistics industry is facing a number of challenges that are hindering its growth and development. These challenges include poor infrastructure and inadequate transportation systems.

 Though Lagos and other key commercial hubs such as Port Harcourt and  Kano have been on the top of the chart as leading destinations, among the challenges faced by businesses are seamless logistics experiences characterised by increased transportation costs and longer delivery times, making it difficult for companies to meet customer demands and expectations.

 Lagos ports are the busiest in the country. In many ways, Lagos has   established itself as one of Nigeria’s most desirable sites for warehousing and distribution operations. It has successfully leveraged its transportation amenities to become a magnet for corporate, hospitality, and manufacturing industries.

There is an ongoing multi-million agro-logistics hub project in Epe, which the Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisoye Olusanya said that, on completion, would include transportation carriers of all kinds as well as warehousing, distribution, third-party logistics services.

 She announced an action plan to promote value-added logistics development integrating sea, air and land transport to strengthen its pivotal role in the economic expansion.

 The purpose, according to her, is to deploy innovation, adaptation and technology to help the agriculture industry to overcome disruptions and deliver produce.

 She stressed that the agriculture sector needed good logistics infrastructure to be efficient and effective, even as she added that without such infrastructural projects, farmers would not get the produce to their destinations.

 According to her, Lagos will continue to integrate logistics connectivity into the state’s overall economic development, under a model where the transportation node would connect waterways, railways and highways. For analysts, Lagos’ multimodal and logistics options should serve as an economic development driver and force in growing the local and state economies.

Currently, the majority of industries located in the state depend on multimodal options to streamline their supply chains and encourage future growth. Apapa Ports are one of the busiest for agro-cargo.

 The Director-General of the African Centre for Supply Chain, Dr Obiora Madu said that as one of the regional hubs, the ports should have good connections with most of urban and production centres.

 He further explained that there was a challenge linking it with the various container terminals for sea transport. As things stand, Madu believes that none of the biggest commercial cities across the country offer unmatched multimodal connectivity that sits at the intersection of the rail lines hauling freight from industrial parks, with own logistics.

 To achieve this, he recommended a logistics strategy with components that emphasise restructuring the transportation and distribution networks to maximise efficiency and minimise miles which will translate to enhanced productivity.

 He stressed the need for close collaboration among industry, the academia and the government as trade routes shift and logistics networks become increasingly complex.

 According to him, strengthening the logistics sector is not an optional action plan, more so for a country such as Nigeria which has a large stake in international trade and with a propensity to grow further in the world order.

He believes that investors would score Nigeria’s logistics efficiency on the basics of infrastructure quality, ease of arranging shipments, quality of logistics services, consignments tracking and tracing and timeliness of shipments.

 For this reason, he posited that the country needed a comprehensive logistics policy that is capable of reducing operational cost, improving efficiency across various sectors of the economy.

 So far, agro-exporters are lamenting high logistics costs on their businesses as a result of erratic supply chains and subpar connectivity across the country.

According to him, policy interventions were needed to ensure that logistical problems are minimised to increase agro exports growth. He called for a unified policy environment that would be helpful in ensuring seamless integration across the logistics chains.

 While development of integrated infrastructure is envisaged through the various development master plans, Madu noted that a national logistics policy will provide a comprehensive agenda for development of entire logistics ecosystem.

 This, he added, would include linking the railways and roads, to work together to create a unified and streamlined network of connectivity. He emphasised the importance of inland and river ports.

 “They are very important in assisting landlocked countries. There is a terminal in Lilypond dedicated for exports. How do they take the container from there to Tin Can Port?

 “All these account for the huge congestion on the road. If our supply and logistics chain does not work, the economy will not do well. This has terribly destroyed our competitiveness. River ports have become more important for domestic trade, he said.

 Role of river ports

  Connecting Jebba and Onitsha River Ports, he said, has the potential of using the waterways to reduce road transportations of produce and human traffic across the country.

 According to him, Jebba and Onitsha River Ports should have well-developed transportation infrastructure that allow them to be interconnected with the North and South smoothly, especially mainland and provides maximum flexibility.

 With its centralised location, he was of the opinion that places such as Lokoja in Kogi State should be a perfect place for transport with access to major interstates, railroad arteries that allow for inexpensive shipment and delivery for business sites.

 But, in the past 10 years, Lokoja has not been a place to relocate and do business. The area also is yet to boast of a seamless transportation hub. While the town has ceased to retain a reputation of providing a safe, stable and sustainable environment for its private and corporate residents, it no longer sustains the appeal of a top warehousing and distribution centre location, illustrated by the fewer companies that have established themselves in the area.

 Lokoja is not alone in losing top business destination ranking. Jebba has failed its standing as one of the region’s hottest business centres.

 In the past, the town enjoyed easy roadway access to and from destinations throughout the Middle Belt. In other places, a town such as Jebba connects businesses with important markets, ports of entry and airports to expedite major domestic and international commerce transactions. The rail service has not provided adequate freight service to spur an additional cycle of business investment within the community.

Logistics integration

Even though Nigeria has a pool of international and highly-experienced logistics companies that should enable smooth logistic flows, Madu thinks trying to separate aviation from transportation is not furthering the cause of full integration of networks.

 He said: “We have been made to think that aviation is separate from transportation. What it means is that we are disintegrating our logistics system. Former President Obasanjo, in his wisdom, merged these ministries and Yaradua separated them again.”

 The Chief Executive Officer of Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Dr Olufemi Oladunni has emphasised the need to boost logistics efficienciesthrough strengthening  sea-land-air intermodal transportation, facilitating port and logistics development,  and promotion of  high value-added logistics services, including the enhanced processing of cold-chain goods.

Oladunni noted that seamless supply chains logistics are key to the flow of produce from point of origin to point of consumption, meeting the endless requirement of varied clients.

 For the Deputy Managing Director of Project Incubation West Africa, OCP Africa, Caleb Usoh, the logistics industry is a critical enabler of economic growth.

With an infrastructure that includes access roads, ports and airports, Usoh indicated that Nigeria can emerge a leading hub for trade. According to him, logistics facilities and infrastructure coupled with low costs, and increasing investments would make the country a profitable gateway for businesses.

He stressed that interlinked highways that connect the country locally, make transporting goods, including fertiliser and other agriculture inputs a fast, profitable and efficient process is what Nigeria needs.

 Usoh noted that a seamless logistics would help to fast track national economic development and promote growth of industry, manufacturing, and exports.

 Furthermore, he suggested that the government should encourage the private sector to invest in complementary infrastructure.

 According to him, connectivity, infrastructure and processes, and private sector participation could create an integrated ecosystem that allows logistics to thrive. He urged the government to partner the private sector to take more advantage of its geographical position by linking logistics with agriculture.

Inland ports

The growth of exports from the Southsouth and the Southeast has made the need for strategic inland ports across regions necessary. The inland ports will be focused on moving and handling agro-exports outside the country.

 For Anga, agro-exports are riding high as such the country needs inland ports that offer cost-effective intermodal access. He stressed that inland ports are becoming a critical part of the country’s agro-export cycle and the country’s competitive position at the world stage.

He noted that farmers and agro-producers have to use inland ports to move their produce to market as efficiently as possible, and with fuel costs rising, they provide intermodal and rail options to bypass expensive and costly trucking methods.

 He pointed out that the current challenge for producers is the absence of an effective supply chain infrastructure in various production belts to manage the growth in export volume.

 He maintained that the agriculture industry will continue to be a major contributor to overall export volume. He called for increased use of inland ports.

According to him, the trend toward establishing and expanding inland ports will continue, and there are major opportunities for private-sector development and investment to support the country’s growing agro-export trade.

There are proposed sites across the country for inland port logistics clusters which would allow major producers to move cargo inland.

 On the whole, stakeholders have urged the government to strengthen logistics business and intermodal transportation services.

QUOTE

Lagos ports are the busiest in the country. In many ways, Lagos has   established itself as one of Nigeria’s most desirable sites for warehousing and distribution operations. It has successfully leveraged its transportation amenities to become a magnet for corporate, hospitality, and manufacturing industries

It was a day of gratitude and appreciation, as happy slum dwellers filled the hall of the Nigeria Stored Product Research Institute (NSPRI) Lagos, on Monday April 3. From far and wide, ecstatic slum dwellers, in a hurry to pay their debt of gratitude with their presence at the event, took turns to acknowledge the positive impact of a recent study carried out in their neglected communities.

 An aged woman, speaking on behalf of Ajegunle community, was effusive in her praises for the intervention that has brought about the clearing of the canal in her community in Kosofe Local Government Area. “We are happy because the drainage has been cleared. When it rains now, we no longer dread it because it is easy for the flood to find its way. We know what we have suffered when the drainage was blocked; we don’t pray for that tragedy visit us again,” she said. Speaking in a similar vein, Rasheed Shittu, the Executive Director of Shantytowns Empowerment Foundation and one Mrs Oshobe also commended the study group for helping the community members to develop self-confidence in their ability to raise awareness about their plight with a view to solving the challenges.

A digital platform for community self-reporting

Through the study, it is confirmed that Lagos slum dwellers face prejudice, including exclusion, distrust, discrimination, and derogatory remarks as well as hateful and extremist narratives. The researchers said these tensions make slum communities highly flammable, with stigmatisation forcing them to hide their medical history, health behaviours, or other conditions, which could exacerbate person-to-person or community spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

 Besides, the researched unearthed further that there is no widely shared factual information about slum communities with respect to infectious diseases, which continues to create gaps between known information and misinformation. This, according to the study, may escalate the deplorable health situations in slum communities, as slum dwellers do not have platforms to tell their own stories, which in turn, drives slum communities to experience near-anonymity in critical situations such as the COVID-19.

The study and its objectives

The slum dwellers who are mostly the poorest groups and communities found in harsh and fragile urban environments and living on daily income of less than one dollar per day are the most impacted by the pandemic, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). COVID-19 came as a surprise to some people, and rather more shocking to vulnerable groups. Indeed, it threw a lot of people in slum communities off balance. A lot of people did not expect to stay at home or be restricted in any form for a long time. Meanwhile, some people were able to bounce back almost immediately with alternatives such as working remotely and starting a new job. It was a difficult time for others who solely depended on a single source of income and experienced loss of incomes during the periods.

 According to the World health Organization, tens of millions of people risked falling into extreme poverty, and there is the possibility of undernourished people increasing up to 132 million towards the end of 2020 (WHO, 2020). In 2014, the United Nations estimated that 70 per cent of urban dwellers in sub-Saharan African, including Nigeria, live in slums and informal settlements. These communities are found on fragile and undesirable locations inhabited by the most destitute and economically vulnerable urban populations. In Lagos State, the number of slum and informal settlements has increased from 42 in 1985 to 360 in 2020 with urban population growth rate estimated at about 2.9 per cent, almost twice the national rate of 6-8 per cent. These slum dwellers lack opportunities to enjoy a good life and lack access to basic services including water, sanitation, electricity, and healthcare. This deprivation in social infrastructure and basic services has made slum dwellers in Lagos State extremely vulnerable amid largely poorly uncoordinated responses to the COVID-19.

 Distressed by the plight of urban dwellers, the Lagos Urban Studies Group (LUSG), University of Lagos, in conjunction with the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation (NSISF), undertook a study titled: Giving Voice to Slums: Creating Digital Urban Platform for Community Self-Reporting Amid COVID-19. The research jointly conducted in Irede, Ajegunle and other neglected communities by the Lagos Urban Studies Group, University of Lagos, and the Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation, was led the research team lead, Dr Peter Elias, Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator, Department of Geography, University of Lagos and Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, first female Professor of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, yielded the podium for the slum dwellers to speak for themselves.

 Its specific objectives include: understand socio-economic conditions, health behaviours and risk factors which may adversely impact lives and livelihoods systems of slum dwellers amid COVID-19; map vulnerabilities and responses to COVID-19 pandemic in selected slum communities; develop local capacities and skills to change health behaviour and risk factors of slum dwellers amid COVID-19; identify community-led interventions and mechanisms for amplifying slum voices and promoting advocacy towards improved responses to COVID-19.

Key findings on vulnerabilities in slum communities

The study developed a disaggregated map of the socioeconomic conditions of slum dwellers, including spatial distribution of health facilities, level of access sanitation, water supply, and education. Several factors were identified to have contributed to the proliferation of slums in Lagos, which includes poor urban policies and regulation, with the result that people who live in the slums do not have access to decent and quality housing and generally cannot access basic services such as water and sanitation, which is critical to Covid-19 prevention.

 The age composition of the respondents who participated in the study comprised individuals of 18 years and above. Most of the respondents are in the age groups of 29-39 and 40-50 years are 35 and 37 per cent, respectively, which represent key actors in the informal economy. As for sources of water, findings indicate that 36.1 per cent rely on trucks and water carriers and 25.4 per cent patronise water vendors, among others. So, when messages on handwashing as a means of prevention were shared during COVID-19 crisis, slum dwellers said adoption was difficult because of lack of access to constant water supply in their communities.

Findings also showed that the majority of respondents (60.1 percent) rely on pharmacy/drug stores when ill, 29.4 per cent primary health centers, 24.5 per cent private hospitals, 22.3 per cent roadside drug sellers, 21.6 per cent uses traditional medicine, and only 9.1 per cent patronise government health facilities. This suggests that relevant government ministries, departments and agencies/private operators should integrate health services for improved access to quality care and enhance quick referral, the study recommended. Slum communities also indicated that different types of toilets are used, including toilets connected to a well/septic tank, improved latrine, toilet connected to a sewage system, unimproved latrine and hanging toilets. Meanwhile, some respondents reported that they make use of open field as toilet.

 The study also mapped level of education of the respondents, revealing that only 20.6 and 40.5 percentages of the slum dwellers have primary and secondary education, respectively. According to the respondents, during the lockdown, education of children and youths were put on hold; major businesses such as sales and distribution services were affected; patronage was reduced; and private sector employees could not go to work. The finding about the occupation of the respondents also showed that majority were self-employed (48.8%), traders (26.3%), work in private companies (9.4%) or were fishermen (5.8%) which were the most affected occupations during the lockdown. This meant that majority of the respondents mostly relied on daily income for their sustenance. A male respondent explained his situation on how COVID-19 impacted him during the lockdown with drastic reduction from a daily income of N10,000, it was difficult to make a living.

 With regards to access to news/information about COVID-19, the report also showed that the slum dwellers depended on the radio, television, and newspapers with the radio being the highest source of information. The slum dwellers also indicated that residents were cautious about the information they heard, saw, or read. Slum dwellers sources of news revealed that radio and television were their preferred with (39.10%) and (32.60%), respectively, stating that they consume news on those two platforms; while 21.90% of the respondents consumed news on Internet and only 6.10% consumed news by reading newspapers.

Policy recommendations from the study

The findings of the study indicate that radio, television, Facebook and WhatsApp platforms are slum dwellers’ preferred communication media. Also, in terms of knowledge, findings indicate poor knowledge of COVID-19 and the availability and pick up times/points for emergency support packages among slum dwellers (citizens/residents/ CSOs/local authorities) occasioned by the communication strategy/channels of information used by government. People who live in the slums do not have access to decent and quality housing and generally cannot access basic services such as water and sanitation, which is critical to Covid-19 prevention.

 Majority of the respondents were self-employed which means that they mostly relied on daily income for their sustenance; and were struggling to eke out a living during the lockdown, an indication of absence of palliatives and supports from the state or non-state actors, which could have encouraged strict compliance to the lockdown guidelines. The respondents were forced to violate lockdown regulations to secure means of livelihood due to non-availability of support system, especially for workers in the informal sector of the economy. “Given that research findings provide feedback to the government on policy options in situations of national/global emergencies; and provide direction for future interventions, especially when decisions related to the government’s response to pandemics are involved; we recommend that government should: Not only adopt strategic communication approach but work with risk communication experts to design a risk communication strategy for prevention and response/share information accordingly.

 “Also, message design should be evidence-based and done by experts for synergy in messaging across media platforms aimed at effective communication. In addition, government should invest in knowledge sharing activities and build the capacities of CSOs/Local authorities/citizens to sensitize slum dwellers during emergencies and disasters. These hopefully will give voice to slum dwellers and enhance community self-reporting among slum dwellers during disasters and emergencies aimed at helping duty bearers to understand the socio-economic conditions, health behaviours and risk factors which may adversely impact lives and livelihoods systems of slum dwellers during emergencies and intervene to prevent and contain diseases.

 “Invest in the provision of basic services such as water and sanitation, a strategic intervention to Covid-19 prevention, not discounting other diseases so that when messages on handwashing as a means of disease prevention is shared, adoption will not be hampered In preparation for future emergencies, map slum/hard to reach areas and design a strategy for the disbursement of funds or resources to slum dwellers to ensure fair and equal distribution of relief materials regardless of dwelling place.”