Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has offered to provide 1,000 square metres of land for the proposed establishment of a Smart National Transport Data Bank in the state.
The governor gave the assurance on Friday when he received a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Transportation, led by the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, at the Government House in Benin City.
The delegation included representatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) and Arab Investment.
Okpebholo described the proposed facility as a major development that could boost Edo’s economy through job creation, improved security, increased revenue and technology transfer.
He said the project aligned with his administration’s ambition to transform Edo into a modern state and assured the delegation of the government’s readiness to provide the required support.
The governor directed the Edo Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS) to begin the process of providing the proposed 1,000 square metres of land.
Earlier, Adebiyi explained that the initiative was part of President Bola Tinubu’s vision to establish a structured transport data management system for Nigeria’s land transportation sector, similar to the system operating in the aviation industry.
He said the Federal Government had also approved the development of standardised bus terminals across the country, beginning with one in each geopolitical zone before extending the programme to other states.
According to the permanent secretary, participating states are expected to provide 1,000 square metres of land for an office to house and manage transport data, while neither the state nor federal government would be required to fund the construction.
Adebiyi said the initiative would strengthen security, improve revenue generation, facilitate access to transport data and create employment opportunities.
He added that Edo was the first state he had visited for the project and said implementation would commence immediately.
The visit is expected to lead to further discussions between the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Edo State Government on land provision and other requirements for the project.