Daura, February 27, 2025 – The Federal University of Transportation, Daura (FUTD), in collaboration with Technic, Engineering, Architecture, and Marketing (TEAM), has successfully conducted a two-day seminar focused on the “Planning, Development, and Management of Transportation Infrastructure in Nigeria.” The seminar, held on February 25 and 26, 2025, attracted staff, students, and members of the general public interested in the future of transportation in the country.
Delivering the welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of FUTD, Hon. Prof. Umar Adam Katsayal, mni, welcomed the TEAM Group to the university and commended their continuous support from the institution’s inception. He lauded TEAM for following in the footsteps of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) by offering pro-bono consultancy services during the university’s construction phase. He urged other companies in Nigeria to emulate such corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to support their host communities.
Prof. Katsayal also highlighted TEAM’s impressive growth since the 1980s, noting that the company now boasts a workforce of approximately 400 staff. He encouraged participants to take full advantage of the seminar’s presentations, as they offered valuable insights into transportation infrastructure.
Key Presentations
The first presentation was delivered by Engr. Precious Ebare, the Project Manager for the Kano-Kaduna Railway. She provided an overview of TEAM Nigeria Ltd., explaining that it is an internationally renowned engineering consulting firm under the TEAM Group, with expertise in engineering, urban planning, and architecture. With operations across three continents, she emphasized the company’s long-standing experience and highly qualified professionals, which enable them to deliver cutting-edge services to both private and public clients.
Engr. Ebare traced the origins of the company back to 1975, with the establishment of T.E.A.M., followed by the formation of TEAM Engineering in 1977, which specialized in executing technical designs and studies across various engineering sectors.
Next, Mr. Talha Ali, an Electrical and Electronic Engineer, delved into transportation systems and infrastructure, examining different modes of transport, including road, rail, air, and sea. He highlighted the economic, social, and environmental impacts of transportation infrastructure, emphasizing its role in:
- Economic Growth – Facilitating trade and business expansion, and improving connectivity between cities and nations.
- Social Development – Enhancing accessibility to essential services such as education and healthcare.
- Environmental Sustainability – Addressing challenges such as pollution, carbon emissions, land consumption, and deforestation, while advocating for more sustainable solutions.
Another key speaker, Izomoh Akpoesiri, a Material Engineer, provided insights into railway infrastructure in Nigeria. She shared global and national statistics on transportation development, stressing the need for a balance between classroom education and hands-on practical training for transportation students.
Acknowledgments and Closing Remarks
In his vote of thanks, Prof. Ahmad Abubakar, the Director of Academic Planning, expressed gratitude to the presenters for their insightful discussions. He also commended the university management, particularly the Vice-Chancellor, for his commitment to staff training and development.
Prof. Abubakar assured that FUTD would continue to organize more seminars and workshops under the leadership of Prof. Katsayal to enhance knowledge-sharing in the field of transportation. He further urged TEAM Nigeria Ltd. to maintain its relationship with the university, emphasizing FUTD’s willingness to sustain the collaboration.
The seminar concluded with a renewed commitment from both FUTD and TEAM to drive innovations in transportation infrastructure planning and development in Nigeria.