State transport commissioners across the country have moved to fast-track urban mobility reforms, directing ministries to submit bankable infrastructure projects as Nigeria positions itself to unlock World Bank financing under the National Urban Mobility Programme.
The push followed a NUMP stakeholders’ forum held in Abuja over the weekend, where federal and state actors, development partners, and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum confronted what was described as an urgent urban transport crisis.
This was made known in a statement made available to The PUNCH by the Forum on Monday.
According to the statement, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mathew Verghis, warned that Nigeria’s cities were approaching a breaking point.
He noted that the country’s urban population is projected to more than double to 264 million by 2050, placing enormous pressure on already overstretched transport systems.
Verghis said, “Commuters in major Nigerian cities are losing up to four hours every day to congestion. That is time lost to productivity, to family life, and to economic growth. For low-income households, transport costs are already consuming an unsustainable share of income.”
He gave the assurance that the World Bank was ready to move beyond policy discussions, offering long-term financing, technical expertise, and institutional support to turn viable ideas into projects that create jobs and promote inclusive growth.
The current chairman of the Forum, Olugbenga Dairo, urged member commissioners to accelerate implementation by immediately identifying and submitting “shovel-ready” urban mobility projects for Phase 1 investment.
Dairo said, “These submissions will determine how quickly states can access financing and technical support. Preparedness is now the defining factor.”
He called on states yet to complete their NUMP engagement surveys to do so without delay, warning that compliance is now a prerequisite for continued participation. States benefiting from the Nigeria Public Transportation Programme were also asked to submit project outlines that integrate existing assets such as terminals, rail infrastructure, and CNG facilities to maximise impact and avoid duplication.
To secure stronger political backing, the forum chairman also said it has commenced engagement with the NGF to ensure NUMP is tabled at the next governors’ meeting.
“The quality and speed of project submissions will directly influence which states are prioritised”, adding that investment sequencing under the programme will be performance-driven.
He commended commissioners and political leaders from Abia, Cross River, Edo, Taraba, Plateau, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Adamawa, Gombe, Ogun, Kano, and Benue for their active participation in the workshop. He also acknowledged states including Borno, Sokoto, Imo, Delta, Oyo, Kaduna, and Anambra for delegating senior officials.
Speaking at the event, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, cautioned that urban mobility reform is deeply political and complex.
Abdulrazaq, who spoke through the Director-General of the NGF, Dr Abdulateef Shittu, stressed that “transport touches daily livelihoods. It involves strong unions, federal-state coordination challenges, and serious capacity gaps. For this programme to succeed, states need clarity on financing terms, whether support comes as grants or loans, and who bears long-term maintenance costs.”
Shittu also stressed the need for credible coordination structures that go beyond dialogue and deliver measurable outcomes.
