Stakeholders across Africa's transport sector have issued a critical call for a fundamental shift in approach. They urge moving away from a primary focus on physical infrastructure to a stronger emphasis on service-oriented transport management. This urgent appeal highlights that poor service delivery continues to cripple productivity, diminish returns on investment, and weaken the competitiveness of cities throughout the continent.
A New African-Led Perspective on Mobility
This pivotal call to action was made during the virtual launch of a significant new publication titled 'Transport Services Management in Africa'. The book, published by Routledge, was unveiled by the Transport Services and Development Initiative (TRATSEDI). It is edited by professors Emmanuel Mogaji and Ogochukwu Ugboma, alongside Dr Chinebuli Uzondu.
The publication presents a distinctly African-led viewpoint. It frames transport not merely as a matter of roads and rails but as a crucial economic service. This service is fundamentally shaped by governance structures, institutional frameworks, technological adoption, and user behaviour, going far beyond the concrete and steel of infrastructure.
The High Cost of Africa's Mobility Crisis
Speaking at the launch event, Professor Emmanuel Mogaji detailed the severe hidden economic costs of Africa's ongoing mobility crisis. He pointed to massive losses in working hours, restricted access to markets for goods and labour, heightened safety risks, and significant environmental damage.
Mogaji noted a persistent paradox: while governments across the continent continue to allocate substantial funds to roads, railways, and terminals, weak service management drastically limits the economic value derived from these massive investments. "Transport services determine how people access jobs, education and healthcare and how efficiently cities function. Without effective service management, infrastructure alone cannot deliver productivity gains," he emphasised.
Case Studies and Pathways to Reform
The book explores practical pathways for unlocking greater value in Africa's transport sector. It investigates how improved service design, smarter regulation, and targeted innovation can attract private capital and enhance returns on public spending.
Drawing on rich case studies from major urban centres including Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, Johannesburg, Ibadan, and Luanda, the publication examines pressing themes such as:
- The role of digitalisation in modernising transport.
- Strategies for integrating the vast informal transport sector.
- Critical issues of safety, equity, and environmental sustainability within fast-growing city economies.
Professor Ogochukwu Ugboma described the book as a vital bridge connecting policy, academic research, and on-the-ground practice. He stressed that fragmented governance and inadequate oversight remain major barriers to transport efficiency in African cities. He argued that evidence-based service reforms are essential to reducing crippling congestion and building business confidence in the sector.
Dr Chinebuli Uzondu added a crucial note of caution, warning against the uncritical importation of foreign transport models. He argued that Africa's unique informal economies and specific demographic realities demand locally-grounded, context-sensitive solutions. Transport systems that ignore local context, he stated, frequently fail to achieve sustainable commercial or social outcomes.
Endorsement from Lagos and Sector Insights
The event featured a goodwill message from the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, who underscored the immense economic importance of efficient mobility systems for Nigeria's commercial nerve centre. He outlined Lagos's priorities, which include developing integrated, multimodal transport, fostering digital innovation, and encouraging private sector participation to tackle congestion and improve accessibility.
Osiyemi praised the book as a timely and essential resource for policymakers, transport operators, and investors who are committed to enhancing service quality and economic performance within urban transport systems.
Other contributing authors at the launch shared further insights on commercially relevant issues. These included managing conflicts in paratransit operations, integrating informal transport in Luanda, promoting active mobility like walking and cycling in Namibian secondary cities, and deploying smart technologies to improve commuter satisfaction in Lagos.
