CILT targets transport, logistics overhaul at 2026 National Conference
By Maureen Aguta
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Nigeria, is set to convene policymakers, regulators, operators, investors, academics and other key stakeholders to chart a new course for Nigeria’s transport and logistics sector at its 2026 National Conference.
The three-day conference, scheduled for October 21–23 at NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja, will focus on the theme, “Transforming Nigeria’s Transport and Logistics Systems for Shared Prosperity and Sustainable Infrastructure.”
The gathering is expected to place integrated transport, infrastructure development, digital transformation, policy reform and sustainable financing at the centre of discussions on how to address persistent inefficiencies in the country’s transport and logistics system.
Speaking at a pre-conference press briefing at the NIMASA Resource Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos, yesterday, Dr Ogochukwu Ogboma, who represented the Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Professor Kayode Oyesiku, said the conference was designed to move discussions beyond diagnosis of the sector’s problems to practical solutions and implementation.
Ogboma said the conference would bring together policymakers, regulators, transport operators, investors, academics, technology providers, development partners, students and young professionals to identify critical sectoral priorities and build partnerships capable of translating recommendations into action.
She stressed that transport and logistics remained central to economic development, given their role in moving agricultural produce, industrial inputs and finished goods, connecting businesses to markets, improving competitiveness and creating employment.
According to her, Nigeria needs an integrated transport system in which road, rail, aviation, maritime transport, inland waterways, ports, terminals, logistics hubs and last-mile services operate as complementary components of a single national transportation network.
The conference will feature six major panel sessions addressing sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure; digital transformation and smart logistics; integrated multimodal connectivity; governance, policy reform and infrastructure financing; human capital development and professional excellence; as well as inclusive mobility and logistics for national development.
The Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Professor Ayo Omotayo, is expected to lead the keynote discourse, while the Imo State Governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, will attend as Special Guest of Honour.
Ogboma said academic paper presentations would also form part of the programme to strengthen evidence-based discussions and provide a platform for researchers to contribute to solutions for the sector.
She added that the NEXT GEN Hour would provide students and young professionals with opportunities for mentoring, innovation and leadership development, while a technical field tour would expose participants to operational realities and link conference deliberations with developments on the ground.
The programme will also feature a conference dinner and awards to recognise outstanding contributions and excellence within the transport and logistics industry.
More than 500 participants are expected at the conference, including representatives of government agencies, regulatory bodies, transport and logistics companies, professional associations, academia, the private sector, investors, technology firms and development organisations.
Ogboma urged transport and logistics companies, professional associations, unions, regulators, researchers, investors, technology providers, development partners, students and other interested members of the public to participate actively in the conference.
She said the conference would conclude with a communiqué setting out priority recommendations and commitments arising from the various sessions, with the objective of strengthening implementation and advancing reforms across Nigeria’s transport and logistics value chain.