At an average speed of 55 km/hr, Nigeria falls among countries in the world with low-speed roads with Nigeria classified among the lowest speed range of 30-60 km/hr road speed. Nigeria ranked 143 out of 162 countries, estimated globally.
Average mean speeds are measured based on the average time taken to move from one city to another that is 80 kilometres apart. This is accessed using road quality as a parameter.
The availability of alternative means of transportation does not affect road speed and speed does not have any influence on road safety. These two factors do not determine the average speed estimated for each country nor the impact on economic activities.
West African countries have an average mean score of 64 km/h and Nigeria’s mean score of 55 km/h is below the regional average. C’ote d’Ivoire has the highest mean speed score in the region, with 78 km/h. Nigeria ranked 13 out of the fifteen West African countries estimated.
The survey revealed that most high-speed roads are found in advanced and richer economies. While the slowest roads are in poorer economies.
Road speed is estimated to have some connectivity to other economic aspects, and road quality was found to have a high correlation with time spent travelling.
At mean speeds of 55 km/h because of the quality of Nigerian roads, sectors like trade and commerce are severely impacted. The road quality and speeds limit economic access especially as it concerns transporting consumer goods to different locations across the country.
The slow speeds will increase the time spent on the road from one location to another, and longer time often means additional costs. Add on fuel costs, high inflation and severe insecurity, production costs rise significantly and the end user bears the brunt of it.
Slow speeds also affect the full spectrum of inclusion especially for hard-to-reach areas because transport inaccessibility is a critical part of what makes these regions “hard-to-reach”.
Improving road quality across the country becomes a critical part of achieving sustainable development in the country. Improved road infrastructure will enhance competitiveness among factors of production and increase productivity. This is especially important for Nigeria and its struggle with productivity and industry which has implications for a revenue-challenged country.