Awareness
The plan shows awareness of the failures in rail, air, water and road transport. But by focusing on rail fails to recognize the true importance of road travel in Nigeria. It is not just to do with the paving of roads, there are also issues of road quality, mapping of roads, traffic management, road user education etc. So a big area of concern is brushed over.
Ambition
The plan to build a modern rail network out of the bones of the colonial era rail system will be a colossal project and making it viable will be even tougher. Doubling the amount of road paved is admirable, but is it really enough? It is certainly not a comprehensive plan for creating a 21st century road network in Nigeria.
Making air safety a primary objective shouldn't be seen as ambitious but rather as mandatory, but making Nigeria an international hub will take a complete revamp of Nigeria's aviation sector.
Details
This section gives detail of how the programme will be funded ( through Public Private Partnerships) and the model on which it will operate. It also alludes to a pilot scheme that will be run. There is however, no information on deadlines for the pilot or the programme itself nor on how much track will be built and which cities will be connected etc.
The plan to double paved road is concrete (no pun intended) and is accompanied by details. The source of funding is also outlined, however, again there is no time scale set or stated priorities as to what roads will be paved first.
The plans regarding aviation are thin on detail, and there is no mention made of water transport.
My View
I think this section of the plan is well written but i struggle to agree with any of it. I'm not sure the amount of investment needed to build railways would not be better spent improving roads. I am not sure if there will be sufficient demand for private/commercial travel by rail. Will it not put a lot of commercial drivers out of work? I just feel like the ship for rail travel sailed a long time ago (again no pun intended). Road networks, mapping, congestion, road safety etc. would be a better use of money. A world class motorway system will have the desired effect.
Secondly the adoption of the British Railway Model is a failing of the plan, the UK has shown the problems with the model,with high and ever increasing ticket prices, less and less services and train providers going bust or abandoning their routes.
In terms of road renovation the plan isn't nearly ambitious enough, 30% of roads paved by 2015 will simply not be enough. Federal roads could be an efficient way of taxing commercial traders and a good high speed road network could be the veins of the Nation.
In terms of aviation I like the ambition - Nigerian airports should be a hub for travel in the region, of not the continent. This is something that can only be done by making the airport favourable to international carriers, I would have liked more concrete plans as to how this was going to be achieved.
Scores (Out of 5)
Awareness: 2.0
Ambition: 4.0
Detail: 3.25
My View: 1.5
The plan shows awareness of the failures in rail, air, water and road transport. But by focusing on rail fails to recognize the true importance of road travel in Nigeria. It is not just to do with the paving of roads, there are also issues of road quality, mapping of roads, traffic management, road user education etc. So a big area of concern is brushed over.
Ambition
The plan to build a modern rail network out of the bones of the colonial era rail system will be a colossal project and making it viable will be even tougher. Doubling the amount of road paved is admirable, but is it really enough? It is certainly not a comprehensive plan for creating a 21st century road network in Nigeria.
Making air safety a primary objective shouldn't be seen as ambitious but rather as mandatory, but making Nigeria an international hub will take a complete revamp of Nigeria's aviation sector.
Details
This section gives detail of how the programme will be funded ( through Public Private Partnerships) and the model on which it will operate. It also alludes to a pilot scheme that will be run. There is however, no information on deadlines for the pilot or the programme itself nor on how much track will be built and which cities will be connected etc.
The plan to double paved road is concrete (no pun intended) and is accompanied by details. The source of funding is also outlined, however, again there is no time scale set or stated priorities as to what roads will be paved first.
The plans regarding aviation are thin on detail, and there is no mention made of water transport.
My View
I think this section of the plan is well written but i struggle to agree with any of it. I'm not sure the amount of investment needed to build railways would not be better spent improving roads. I am not sure if there will be sufficient demand for private/commercial travel by rail. Will it not put a lot of commercial drivers out of work? I just feel like the ship for rail travel sailed a long time ago (again no pun intended). Road networks, mapping, congestion, road safety etc. would be a better use of money. A world class motorway system will have the desired effect.
Secondly the adoption of the British Railway Model is a failing of the plan, the UK has shown the problems with the model,with high and ever increasing ticket prices, less and less services and train providers going bust or abandoning their routes.
In terms of road renovation the plan isn't nearly ambitious enough, 30% of roads paved by 2015 will simply not be enough. Federal roads could be an efficient way of taxing commercial traders and a good high speed road network could be the veins of the Nation.
In terms of aviation I like the ambition - Nigerian airports should be a hub for travel in the region, of not the continent. This is something that can only be done by making the airport favourable to international carriers, I would have liked more concrete plans as to how this was going to be achieved.
Scores (Out of 5)
Awareness: 2.0
Ambition: 4.0
Detail: 3.25
My View: 1.5
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