President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s transport sector as a cornerstone of national economic growth.

Speaking at the second matriculation ceremony of the Federal University of Transportation, Daura (FUTD), for the 2024/2025 academic session, Tinubu represented by the Minister of Transportation, Sen. Said Alkali said the institution is strategic to government efforts in building a new generation of transport professionals.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Jibril Alkali, the President praised FUTD for its progress since inception, stressing its role in transportation education, training, and research.

“As the institution matriculates 529 students this session, it marks another milestone in producing experts who will transform the sector. FUTD will bridge the gap in human capacity, particularly in our rejuvenated railway system, and produce graduates who can compete globally,” Tinubu said.

The President described the university as the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa, urging the students to seize the opportunity to excel and contribute to the country’s development.

Vice Chancellor of FUTD, Professor Umar Katsayal, explained that the university was established to safeguard and sustain government investments in transportation while addressing manpower shortages in the industry. He noted that CCECC Nigeria Limited, contractors of the Lagos–Kano Railway Modernisation Project, have also contributed to the development of the institution as part of their corporate social responsibility.