Regional development is currently a major concern of governments in the developing countries - Nigeria included. The basic emphasis of regional development in these countries is the improvement of "quality of life for all citizens as development progresses" (Federal Republic of Nigeria: Third National Development Plan, 1975 - 80, Lagos, 1975, p. 291). In order to achieve this objective, emphasis is usually placed on the rural sector of the economy - where a majority of the citizens still live and are employed. The improvement of this sector is also the focus of this study. There are many strategies which are capable, at least theoretically, of improving conditions in the rural areas but the main emphasis of this study is the development of rural transportation as a means of developing the rural areas. Transportation is viewed as a necessity in any human settlement as people and goods have to move from one place to the other, for economic, social and political purposes. The first objective of this study is the establishment of the relationship between transportation and rural development - i.e. that there is a rural demand for transportation. If this demand exists, what mode of transport is most likely to satisfy that demand? At present in Nigeria, roads seem to be dominating other modes because of its characteristics. In this study, transportation is not seen as the sole agent for rural development. For a transportation strategy to be successful, it has to be coordinated with other development strategies. The problem of providing adequate rural transportation is identified as an institutional one. The institutional framework within which transportation is provided in Nigeria is then examined and problems identified, especially those related to rural transportation construction and maintenance. Especially apparent in the deficiencies of the existing administrative structure is the lack of coordination which it permits This lack of coordination of transportation policies exists between different ministries of the same government and between different levels of government - i.e. both horizontally and vertically. For this lack of coordination, it seems that the rural'roads are the most vulnerable. In view of this institutional problem, a modification of the existing structure is recommended, which gives greater emphasis to the development and maintenance of local roads in conjunction with the development of other modes of transportation for the country. The major modification is in favour of reducing the existing responsibi1ities of Local Governments in road transportation construction. This implies that the Federal and State Governments would have to take more shares if all types of roads are to be developed - i.e. providing good transportation in the rural areas. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

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This study concentrated primarily on how the changes in the trunk A transportation network configuration in Nigeria alter both the hierarchy of the network system and the connectivity of the network itself. Using the graph theory, the study looked at the network development in Nigeria in 1949, 1961, 1976, and 1982. The period covered in the study spanned from the colonial to the post-colonial eras. Road maps of each of these years were the primary sources of data. The maps were translated into abstracted networks and subsequently converted into square matrices, and analyzed. The analysis resulted in the establishment of the network connectivity and the accessibility of individual nodes. Gamma and alpha indices were used to determine the complexity (the degree of connectivity) of networks in each of the study periods. The sporadic changes in the number of nodes and linkages resulted in the fluctuation of the network connectivity. This type of fluctuation is a common problem in network development within the developing economies. Political and administrative factors exert stronger influence in shaping the content and the outcome of transportation programs than the Taaffe, Morrill and Gould (1963) and Lachene (1965) models imply. The sporadic fluctuations in the number of nodes, linkages and in the values of the gamma and alpha indices suggest that neither the sequence of network development nor its supposed discrete nature is appropriate to postcolonial development. There is a significant difference between network development during the colonial and post-colonial eras. During the colonial era, there was a strong connection between network development and primary economic activities. The conditions during the colonial era support the link between the network and economic development as illustrated in Kansky (1963) work. The post-colonial era in the other hand, is marked by the need for both social and political integration. Thus, the pattern of network development in Nigeria in the eighties is quite consistent with Friedmann (1975) assertion that social and political factors should be assigned a higher score than economic in the development model for Third world. After nearly ninety years of network development, the trunk A network system in Nigeria is in transition. It is now moving from elementary into an advanced stage of development. One of the things that is likely to at least slow down the rate of such transformation is the political sub-division of the nation into smaller constituent units, coupled with lack of political predictability. From most indications, network development is moving away from concentration in relatively few nodes to a system that imposes a grid on the nation. The imposition of such a grid is likely to induce and enhance the interregional linkages and competition. Such phenomenon is indeed healthy in the light of the existing imbalance in terms of responsibilities between the three levels of government. It is also a good approach towards redressing the existing regional disparities as regional integration is very likely to bring about incentives and opportunities for a fair competition.

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M.Ing. (Engineering Management) / Globally, Logistics and Supply Chains play important roles; and they contribute immensely to the economy of a nation. The purpose of this research is to investigate and how logistics and supply chains management were implemented in a cement factory in Nigeria. Through the investigation, it was confirmed that Cement Company based their logistical system only on a road-link transport system to deliver their product to their customers or end-users, whereas in today’s technology, there are many ways in which logistics can be implemented. Therefore, this research was conducted, in order to do investigate while other logistical systems have not been actively used. The resultant findings are going to be used to address the problem. According to the investigation, it was found that 73.3% of the questionnaire respondents still prefer to use the road-link logistical system. There is a railway infrastructure in place from one point to another. However, the rail system logistics cannot be implemented because the railway infrastructure is obsolete. A new infrastructure will have to be put in place; and this is going to be costly. Apart from addressing the issue, this research also identify some possible hazards that could arise from using a road logistical system alone, such as the wastage of products, when accidents take place. There needs to be an elimination or reduction in the traffic congestion along the highway. It is also necessary to reduce the environmental pollution. Furthermore, apart from the point mentioned above, other logistical systems could be cheaper, safer and easier to maintain, compared with the Road only. Strong collaboration with logistical and supply-chain professional expertise would be required, in order to have a modern logistical system for better results. Collaboration in the working environment plays a role, but involving expertise would make a strong contribution and be more effective.

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