By Kenneth Jukpor
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria has projected that the transport sector could contribute up to 8% to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) one year after CILT Act is enforced.
The National President of CILT Nigeria, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibril said this yesterday during his welcome speech at the 2018 CILT Leadership Impact Programme (CLIP) in Lagos.
According to recent statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) GDP from transportation in Nigeria increased to N221416.44 million in the third quarter of 2018 from N216351.50 millions in the second quarter of 2018.
NBS reports state that GDP from transport in Nigeria averaged N193830.38 million from 2010 until 2018, reaching an all time high of N253325.52 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 and a record low of N144848.60 million in the first quarter of 2010.
However, Jibril maintained that the contribution of the nation’s transport sector would be more significant, recording a consistent growth when the CILT Nigeria bill currently before President Mohammadu Buhari for assent is passed into law.
According to the CILT-Nigeria President, what the institute intends to achieve with the bill, “is to ensure that Nigeria has quality logistics and transport practice in the country. It would ensure that operators maintain the highest standards in the profession and the nation’s economy would benefit maximally from the industry”
“The institute envisions a scenario where immediately the CILT bill is passed into law, it would propel CILT into organizing the sector as well as training and licensing of operators in order to ensure good services are rendered. Arriving at this position would guarantee a GDP projection of about 5% to 8% in the first year of CILT Act been enforced” he said.
Jibril stressed that the institute would also be interested in seeing the development and utilization of Truck Transit Parks (TTPs) with those closer to the ports expected to also function as points of certification for the trucks because the institute wanted a situation where only specially licensed trucks are allowed to operate within the port area.
Meanwhile, he lamented that the nation’s unwillingness to sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA) has reduced the volume of Foreign Direct Investments in the country.
Also speaking on the continental agreement, the Director General of the African Centre for Supply Chain (ACSC) Dr. Obiora Madu told MMS Plus that the federal government
“When we have integrations like the Continental Free Trade, it is true that the biggest economy suffers it at the initial time but at the end of the day the biggest economy enjoys the most benefits. Nigeria needs to sign that agreement because we cannot continue to isolate ourselves. The same issues we are complaining about have been there for the last twenty years or more” Dr. Obiora said.
Dr. Obiora, who was also the chairman of the 2018 CILT Leadership Impact Programme, lamented the challenge was the position of the Nigerian manufacturers who have stopped Nigeria from signing some important trade agreements in the past.
“Nigerian manufacturers keep complaining that signing such agreement would put them in a disadvantaged position, but for how long is Nigeria going to continue this way in a globalized world? When would Nigerian manufacturers agree that they are in an advantageous position to allow the country sign important agreements?” he asked rhetorically.
Meanwhile, he admonished the government to ensure the nation’s infrastructure and policies were developed bearing the interest of manufacturers noting that the challenge of power supply is enough to kill any industry in the country.
Several maritime sector bigwigs were inducted as CILT Chartered Fellows at the 2018 CLIP including the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Mr. Hassan Bello, the Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the Managing Director of Creseada International Limited, Mr. Jonas Nilsson.
Others were; Capt. Marvin Abe, Engr. Mohammed Ali and a former Director-General of NIMASA, Barr. Temisan Omatseye.
