Transport in Nigeria


Decaying infrastructure is one of the deficiencies that Nigeria's National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy seeks to address. The government has begun to repair the country's poorly maintained road network. Because Nigeria's railways are in a perilous condition, the government is trying to rectify the situation by privatizing the Nigerian Railway Corporation. Similarly, the government is pursuing a strategy of partial port privatization by granting concessions to private port operators so that they can improve the quality of port facilities and operations.

Railways

Railways in Nigeria are operated by the Nigerian Railway Corporation. Nigeria's railway system has 3,984 kilometers of track, most of which is Cape gauge. The country has two major rail lines: a western line that connects Lagos to Nguru, and an eastern line that connects Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. The Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway is being built in segments to replace the western Cape gauge line. Several metro systems are under construction.

Highways

Nigeria has the largest road network in West Africa and the second largest south of the Sahara, with roughly 108,000 km of surfaced roads in 1990.
However they are poorly maintained and are often cited as a cause for the country's high rate of road fatalities. In 2004 Nigeria's Federal Roads Maintenance Agency began to patch the 32,000 kilometre federal roads network, and in 2005 FERMA initiated a more substantial rehabilitation. The rainy season and poor equipment pose challenges to road maintenance.
These are the portions that are already modernized at motorway and expressway standard:
Motorway NumberRouteBuiltPlannedRemarks
A1Agapa Rd - E115 km
A1Oyo – Ogbomosho35 kmu/c, end of 2015
A2Warri – Benin City77 kmBenin City Bypass
A2Madalla/Abuja – Kaduna 179
A2Kaduna North – Kano221Ring Road/Eastern Bypass
A3Port Harcourt – Umuahia 100
A3Okigwe – Enugu 87
A3Enugu – Ngwo 13
A5Papalanto – Abeokuta37
A121Logbara/Sagamu - Benin City 247Shagamu- Benin Expy
A122Ibadan – Ife63Ibadan – Ife Expy
A232Benin City – Agbor 46
A232Agbor – Enugu 161
A234Abuja North Bypass 25
E1Ring Rd Apongbon St – A121.5Lagos East Bypass
-Apapa – Oworonshoki- Tin Can Access - Creek Road28.5Apapa – Oworonshoki Expy/ West and South Lagos Bypass
-Ring Rd Apongbon St – A180Lagos - Badagry Expy
-Ijora Cause Way2Lagos South Bypass
-Eko Bridge - Apongbon St4Eko Bridge
-Murtala Mohammed Expy5Abuja East Bypass
-Nnamdi Azikiwe Expy14Abuja West Bypass
-Airport Rd. /Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Rd.38Abuja South Bypass

Figures from CIA World Factbook :
Total:
194,394 km
paved:
60,068 km
unpaved:
134,326 km
note:
Some paved roads have lost their asphalt surface and are in very poor condition or have reverted to being gravel roads. Some of the road system is barely usable, especially in high rainfall areas of the south.

International highways

Nigeria's strategic location and size results in four routes of the Trans-African Highway network using its national road system:
Nigeria has 8,600 km of inland waterways. The longest are the Niger River and its tributary, the Benue River but the most used, especially by larger powered boats and for commerce, are in the Niger Delta and all along the coast from Lagos Lagoon to Cross River.

Pipelines

In 2004 Nigeria had 105 kilometers of pipelines for condensates, 1,896 kilometers for natural gas, 3,638 kilometers for oil, and 3,626 kilometers for refined products. Various pipeline projects are planned to expand the domestic distribution of natural gas and to export natural gas to Benin, Ghana, Togo through the West African Gas Pipeline, and, potentially, even to Algeria by proposed Trans-Saharan gas pipeline. Energy pipelines are subject to sabotage by militant groups or siphoning by thieves.
crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km

Ports and harbors

The Nigerian Ports Authority is responsible for managing Nigeria's ports, some of which have fallen behind international standards in terms of the quality of facilities and operational efficiency. Recognizing that the government lacks the funding and expertise to modernize facilities and run the ports efficiently, the NPA is pursuing partial port privatization by means of granting concessions to private port operators. Under the terms of concession agreements, the government would transfer operating rights to private companies for a finite number of years without forgoing ownership of the port land. Nigeria's principal container port is the port of Lagos, which handles about 5.75 million tons of cargo each year. The port, which consists of separate facilities at Apapa and Tin Can Island, has a rail connection to points inland. Port Harcourt, a transshipment port located 66 kilometers from the Gulf of Guinea along the Bonny River in the Niger Delta, handles about 815,000 tons of cargo each year and also has a railway connection. Both ports are not only responsible for Nigeria's seaborne trade but also serve inland countries such as Niger and Chad. A new port is under construction at Onne about 25 kilometers south of Port Harcourt. Relatively modern and efficient terminals managed by multinational oil companies handle most oil and gas exports.

Atlantic Ocean

The Lekki Port is under construction.

River Ports

The Benin river port on the Benin river in Benin, Edo state; and Makurdi river port on the Benue River in Benue State are under construction.

Merchant marine

The Nigerian Merchant Navy is not a legally recognized body, but the senior officers are represented by the Merchant Navy Officers' and Water Transport Senior Staff Association.
The maritime industry is regulated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, which is responsible for regulations related to Nigerian shipping, maritime labor and coastal waters. The agency also undertakes inspections and provides search and rescue services.
total:
40 ships totaling /
ships by type:
bulk carrier 1, cargo ship 12, chemical tanker 4, petroleum tanker 22, specialized tanker 1

Airport and airlines

Nigeria's principal airports are Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Three other international airports are Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu and Port Harcourt International Airport in Port Harcourt. Overall, Nigeria's airports, whether international or regional, suffer from a poor reputation for operational efficiency and safety. Private domestic air carriers began to win business at the expense of Nigeria Airways, the former government-owned national airline which was declared bankrupt in 2004. The former national flag carrier, Air Nigeria, suspended operations in 2012. Arik Air is now a large airline serving Nigeria and has transported over 10 million passengers.

Airports - with paved runways

total:
38
over 3,047 m:
2,438 to 3,047 m:
11
1,524 to 2,437 m:
10
914 to 1,523 m:
under 914 m:
3

Airports - with unpaved runways

total:
16
over 3,047 m:
1,524 to 2,437 m:
914 to 1,523 m:
11
under 914 m:
2

Heliports

1
2 There are at least 15 heliports to date including those in the oil sector

General references

*