Transportation and National Development

Abstract

Given the importance of transportation in the commercial life, industry and the overall economic development of a nation, this paper attempts to evaluate the impact of developments in transportation on Nigeria’s national development. It addresses five key areas in its discussion of transportation and national development. First, it tries to conceptualize transportation and national development. Second, it tries to provide a historical brief of the role of transportation in the evolution of the Nigerian nation. Third, it discusses the developments in the different modes of transportation from the colonial period to date. Fourth, it tries to examine the impact of transportation on Nigeria’s national development from three perspectives viz: economic, social and political. It observes that apart from lumping transportation and communication together in the budgetary allocation of resources, what is allocated to the sector is inadequate, given the crucial role of transportation in the modern economy. Finally, it suggests the separation of transportation from communication in the budgetary allocation of resources, increase in the allocation to the former, prompt release of the actual budgeted funds, and proper utilization of the approved and released funds to implement the designed transportation facilities if it is to contribute its quota to over attainment of national development.