NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 50B; NIGERIA; TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

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• Collection: NIS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-00707R000200100007-8
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CONFIDENTIAL
50B /GS /TT
N 1li
$ea
February 1973
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY
CONFIDENTIAL
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
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This chapter was prepared by the Defense Intelli-
gence Agency and includes contributions on the
merchant marine from the Department of the Navy
and on airfields from the Department of the Air
Force. Research was substantially completed by
November 1972.
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NIGERIA
CONTENTS
This General Survey supersedes the one dated De-
cember 1969, copies of which should be destroyed.
A. Summary 1
I. Systems 1
A?equacy of transportation and telecommuni-
cations systems; development projects and ad-
ministrative agencies.
2. Strategic mobility 1
Capability of systems for supporting military
operations.
B. Railroads 2
Nigerian Railroad Corporation; data on rail sys-
tem; classification yards; bridges; conununica-
tions; equipment inventory; fuel and water;
maintenance and improvements; traffic statistics;
tabulation of selected lines.
CONFIDENTIAL NO FOREIGN DISSE\i
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Page
C Highways 3
Mileage figures and principal characteristics of the road networks; bridges; con-
struction and maintenance; development plans; traffic problems; vehicle inventory;
data on selected highways.
D. Inland waterways 6
Limited role of river transport; effect of civil war; future plans to improve Niger
and Benue; freight hauled; terminal facilities; craft, data on selected waterways.
E. Pipelines 9
Located mostly in eastern Niger Delta; mileages and characteristics of the system.
F Ports 11
Two major ports, Lagos and Port Harcourt; 10 minor ports.
G. Merchant marine 11
Specifications of the fleet; ownership; service; personnel training.
H Civil air 14
Nigeria Airways, Ltd., provides domestic and international service; four charter
airlines; aircraft inventory; administration; maintenance; personnel.
I Airfields 15
Air facilities and maintenance; deiails on selected fields.
J. Telecommunications 15
Administration; domestic radio -relay links; international service; special- purpose
facilities; raaiobroadcast and TV facilities; equipment imported.
1. iGURES
ii
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?age
Fig. 1
Railroad line characteristics table)
4
Fig. 2
Concrete deck bridge (photo)
5
Fig. 3
Combination highway /rail bridge (photo)
5
Fig. 4
Ferry crossing Niger River photo)
6
Fig. 5
Selected highways table)
7
Fig. 6
Physical characteristics of waterways table)
Fig. 7
Selected pipeline systems table)
10
Fig. 8
Port facilities, Lagos photo)
12
Fig. 9
Major ports table)
13
Fig. 10
Selected airfields table)
16
Fig. it
General telecommunications pattern map)
17
Fig. 12
Terrain and transportation map)
Iollows 18
ii
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Transportation and
Telecommunications
A. Summary (C)
1. Systems
Despite many improvements over the past 10 years,
the transportation and telecommunications (telecom)
facilities of Nigeria are hard put to satisfy normal
demands. The civil war adversely affected the
condition of most of the communications facilities,
especially highways, and caused the postponement of
several planned development projects. The chief
transportation features are two rail lines and two
highway systems which originate at the principal ports
of Lagos and Port Harcourt and extend north (Figure
12). The highways converge in a regional network
centering on Kano in the north central part of the
countrv; the main rail routes and their branch lines
connect the leading agricultural, mineial, and
population centers of the interior with the two
principal ports. The Niger, Benue, and Cross rivers
and coastal waterways are also significant, especially
as means for moving bulk cargos. M:::a of Nigeria's
620 miles of pipciines are located in the eastern part of
the Niger Delta and include a 140 -:rile -long crude -oil
line from the Ughelli and Kokori oilfields in the
western delta to an ocean terminal at Bonnv.
Merchant shipping provides the major transporta-
tion link with fry -�ign n arkets and suppliers. The
Nigerian merchant fleet h is only 13 ships of 1,000
gross register tons or over, nd seaborne cargoes are
carried principally by foreign -flag ships. Air transport
has become increasingly important; the government
owned Nigeria Airways provides both domestic and
international service. International airfields which
handle large jet transports are located at Lagos and
Kano.
Nigeria's telecom system consists of a combination
of several types of facilities widely distributed over the
country. The principal center is Lagos, and secondary
centers are Ibadan and Kaduna. Networks are densest
in the south.
A major effort to improve the transportation and
telecom systems is taking place under the Second
National Development Plan (1970 -74). Among the
projects underway or about to begin are the
construction of an expressway between Lagos and
Ibadan and of highway bridges at Jebba and
Makurdi; the drawing up of plans for the Trans
African Highway extending from Nairobi, Kenya, to
Lagos; complete dieselization of the railroads;
significant improvements to inland waterway
navigability, made possible by the completion of the
Kainji Dam project; construction of an additional 140
miles of crude -oil pipelines; and continued
modernization of telecommunications facilities.
Administration of transportation is accomplished by
several subordinate agencies of the Commissioner for
Transport; the Commissioner for Communications is
responsible for telecommunications.
2. Strategic Mobility (C)
'I ansportation and telecommunications in Nigeria
are inadequate to support large -scale sustained
military operations. Both communications systems
were employed extensively for military movement and
resupply during ;he civil strife, however, and would
provide substantial support in future emergencies. Rail
lines clear the major ports of Lagos and Port Harcourt
and would be of considerable assistance again in these
areas. However, vast areas of the country have no
railroads. The highway system would also provide
substantial logistic support especially in the southern
part of the country. Fast -west roads provide border to
border movement in the north, and highways link
Nigeria with Dahomey, Niger, and Cameroon.
However, operations would be limited by the large
numbers of low- capacity narrow roads and bridges
and small ferries. Prolonged or extensive use would
require bridging equipment and major repair and
maintenance work on the roads. Seasonal factors such
as lengthy rainy periods adversely affect highway
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conditions particularly in the interior. During the do
season dmt restricts vehicle speeds and damages
equipment.
The inland waterway stein would be useful in the
movement of bulk cargos, but the Niger Delta cannot
be entered by oceangoing ships. All maritime ports are
adaptable to miliiary use. The merchant fleet
constitutes a considerable military support potential.
With an estimated cargo capacity of 122,340
deadweight tons, the 13 -unit fleet has a short -haul (48
hours steaming) troop -lift capability for nearseas
operations. The self loading and unloading capability
of the units is enhanced by the fact that five ships have
booms of 40 tons or more lift capacity. Twelve ships,
which are employed primarily in international trade,
are government owned and operated and thus, if
accessible at the time of emergency, would be assured
for military support.
The 77 usable airfields are evenly distributed
throughout the country, near cities and villages along
the rail lines and highways. Kano and Lagos airfields
can handle large jet transports; 10 other fields also
have paved runways and are capable of supporting
smaller transports and liaison craft. Most of the 100
civil aircraft, including 13 major transports, would be
readily available to the government in the event of
hostilities, but the limited availability of indigenous
flight personnel could restrict their use.
Nigerian telecommunications services would
provide telephone, telegraph, telex, and radio ;1nd TV
support to military operations. The telecom
however, lacks alternate facilities and, because of the
great distances covered by unguarded wire lines, is
highly vulnerable to sabotage. In many sections of the
country unfavorable terrain including mangrove
swamps, impenetrable rain forests, arid mountainous
areas renders defense of telecom facilities and
emergency construction and maintenance measures
extremely difficult.
B. Railroads (C)
The Nigerian railroads are government owned and
are operated by the semiautonomous statutory
corporation, the Nigerian Railway Corporation
(NRC), which reports to the Commissioner for
Transport. The rail system consists o.2,178 route miles
of 3'6" -gage single -track lines; there are no lectrified
lines. The system !gas two main lines which connect
the seaports of Lagos and Port Harcourt with the
interior; branch lines serve major centers of population
and production. There are no international
connections. The topography of Nigeria is generally
2
favorable for rl; constnction o f r:ilroads, but an
escarpment h hated in the :-cniral part of the country
presents soarr:e construction and maintenance
problems. Do :}a ;s the ;:ge and poor condition of ,one
lint the system is able t(- satisfy economic demands.
The railroads aro am::: the hest in western Africa
in spit: of their corlipa.-azive old age. Track is being
renewed and new locomotives and freight cars are
being pu,chased. Expenditures are being tioanced by
a Can$ million, 50 -year, interest -free loan from the
Canadiar: Agency for International Development, a
US$3A million loan from Japan, arid US$25 riillion
loan from the World Bank.
The principal officers of the NRC are a chairman,
general manager, deputy general manager, and
secretary. Until 1970 the corporation had been highly
centralized, with railway officials throughout the
country reporting directly to headquarters located at
Ebute Metta, a suburb of Lagos. During 1970 the
corporation chairman, with support from the general
manager, was successful in decentralizing the
corporation. The four newly formed districts and their
headquarters are: Western, in Ibadan; Eastern, in
Enugu; Northeastern, in Bauchi; and Northern, in
Zaria. Two subdistricts are located at Kafanchan and
Minna. The railroad, one of the largest employers in
the country, has about 30,00 employe Most of the
skilled personnel are Ibo. In order to augment its
skilled staff NRC is recruiting at home and in the
United Kingdom, West Germany, and India and is
operating training schools at Zaria and Bauchi.
Locomotive operator schools are located at Zaria,
Kano, and Kafanchan, and a mechanical engineering
school is in Zaria.
All classification yards are of the flat type and are
adequate for normal operation; 1 1hese arc located at
Ihadan, Minna, Kaduna junction at Kaduna, Zaria,
ED -,go, Lagos, and Port Harcourt.
Rail bridges are in fair to good condition. There are
approximately 715 bridges 12 feet and over in length;
of these, 64 are over 100 feet long, the longest being
the 2,520 -foot combination rail- highway structure
crossing the Benue at Makurdi. Bridges are primarily
of steel construction. The system has tunnels.
The absolute manual block system of train control is
used; train movements are protected by electric train
staff, key token, and telephone train control systems.
The electric train staff has been replaced by the key
token system in many areas, and tvvo- aspect
semaphore signals at more important stations are
being replaced by color light signals. Flashing -light
warning signals are being installed at major level
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crossings. Communications are by railroad owned
telephone and telegraph.
Equipment is in fair to good condition and is
adequate for current needs. Automatic buffer couplers
centered 34 inches above top of rail are used on iz'i
equipment. Most rolling stock has four axles and is
equipped with automatic vacuum brakes. The
railroad equipment inventor\- in 1970 was as follows:
TYPE
UNITS
Locomotives:
Steam, mainline
164
Steam, switchers
48
Diesel, mainline
84
Diesel, switchers
17
Railcars, diesel trainsets
2
Passenger cars
535
Freight cars
6,666
Nigeria has no equipment manufacturing facilities;
equipment and parts are imported from the United
Kingdom, the United States, West Germany, Italy,
Canada, and Japan. Major repair facilities are located
at Ebute Metta in Lagos, Enugu, and Zaria. NRC
repair shops produce: some spare parts and rebuild
freight and passenger cars. Service cars equipped for
welding rail are stationed at Ebute Metta, Offa,
Minna, Zaria, Kano, Kafanchan, Bauchi, Makurdi,
Enugu, and Port Harcourt.
Coal and diesel fuel are the sole sources of energy for
motive power available to the NRC. Coal has been
imported since 1967 due to the closure of the Enugu
mine. Refined petroleum products are imported; the
only refinery, located at Port Harcourt, was severely
damaged during the hostilities in 1967 but has since
been repaired and is on- stream. Major bulk diesel -oil
storage installations, with a capacity of 150,000 U.S.
gallons, are located the Lagos area; other
installations are at Offa, Minna, Kaduna Junction,
Zaria, Kano, Kafanchan, and Bauchi. Water is of good
quality and readily available except in the north
during the dry season (November through April);
water- storage facilities supplied by wells are being
constructed to correct !his dry season deficiency.
The NRC is engaged in a continuous effort to
maintain its railroads by strengthening bridges,
roadbeds and tracks. Construction and maintenance
are hampered by washouts caused by seasonal rains.
Current improvements to the network include
replacing rail :ies and ballast, welding rail, and
installing m -,dern signaling devices. Complete
dieselization is in progress, with late 1973 as the
projected completion date. Several loans are to be used
primarily for the purchase of new locomotives and
freight cars.
Traffic in 1969 totaled approximately 2.7 million
short tons of freight transported 1.7 billion ton -miles
and 8.4 million passengers for 376.6 million passenger
miles. Approximately 35`,'(' of the freight revenue was
derived from exports principally peanuts, cocoa.,
hides, timber, and minerals �and about 21% from
imports of machinery, vehicles, and petroleum
products.
The NRC has operated at a deficit since FY64 (1
April through 31 March). In FY67 an especially large
deficit of $10.9 million resulted primarily from a
decline in traffic caused by the cil it war. In FY69 the
deficit was only $2.3 million. The loss of traffic due to
highway competition and high interest charges paid
on capital liabilities compounds the problem.
The NRC uses T- section rail weighing 60 to 80
pounds per yard and ranging from 30 to 40 feet in
length. Some portions of the main line have welded
rail in lengths of up to 320 feet. A plant for flashbutt
welding of rail is located at Zaria. s't'ood, steel and
concrete ties are in use. Tie spacing ranges from 2,080
to 2,336 per mile on main lines and from 1,760 to
2,112 on secondary lines. The Pandrol Clip, a United
Kingdom import, is being used as a standard fastener
for steel, wood, and concrete tics. Ballast is of crushed
granite and laterite. Rail and steel ties are imported
from the United Kingdom; concrete and treated
timber ties and ballast are available locally.
Figure I lists characteristics of the rail lines of
Nigeria.
C. Highways (C)
Roads are classified into three groups based on
responsibility for their construction and maintenance:
1) federal roads (Trunk A) which connect federal and
state capitals, link the ports to their hinterlands, and
provide access to foreign countries; 2) state roads
(Trunk B) which connect the most important trading
centers and provincial capitals with the state capitals;
and 3) local authority roads that supplement these
trunk (or primary roads). The main high -ways of the
system originate at the ports of Lagos and Port
Harcourt and extend north, converging in a regional
network that centers on Kano in the north central part
of the country. The primary routes generally parallel
railroad lines, and short feeder roads have been
established to connect agricultural areas with the
primary north -south routes and to provide access to
railroad stations. The highway system is most dense in
the southerr, part of the country, although there are
relatively few cast -west through routes in this area.
Some east- west routes in the north provide border to
3
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F*URE 1. Selected railroad line characteristics (C)
na Data rot, available.
*Estimated.
border movement. International road connections link
Nigeria with Dahomey, Niger, and Cameroon. Also,
Fort -Lamy, Chad, may be reached via highway across
the northern tip of Cameroon.
The road network totals approximately 55,400
miles, of which about 9,500 miles are bituminous
surfaced; the remaining 45,900 miles consist of
laterite, gravel, crushed stone, and �improved and
unimproved earth. Bituminous- surfaced roads range
from 10 to 24 feet wide. Gravel, crushed -stone and
laterite surfaced roads are front 10 to 25 feet wide.
Shoulders on surfaced roads are up to 10 feet wide.
Improved and unimproved earth roads range in width
from about 10 to 15 feet and generally do not have
shoulders. Roads are in poor to good condition,
depending generally on the type of surfacing, on the
frequency of maintenance, and on deterioration
occurring during the rainy season. The alignment of
roads in mountainous areas, particularly at the eastern
border and in the Jos highlands. is frequently winding,
with sharp curves and steep grades.
Information on the total number of bridges on the
Nigerian highway network is not available. Of the
approximately 3,000 bridges on the primary (or trunk)
4
road system, more than half are constructed of steel or
concrete (Figure 2); the most common, types of
construction are the through and half through truss,
girder, or beam. However, there are still many timber
structures on the primary and secondary networks.
Most bridges have unlimited vertical clearances; the
through truss bridges with horizontal cross members
above the bridge deck (Figure 3) have vertical
clearances of 14 feet or more. Horizontal clearance
varies considerably; most timber bridges and
permanent types constructed prior to 1960 are only 12
feet wide. Structures built after 1960 are up to 24 feet
wide or generally equal to the road width. Load
capacities vary widely depending on the age of the
structure and the construction material but range from
8 to 25 tons on the Trunk A and Trunk B roads.
Timber bridges on many local roads have low load
capacities estimated at from 2 to 5 tons, depending on
the original design and condition of the structure.
Present construction designs specify that new bridges
have a gross load capacity of approximately 3i tons.
Most steel and concrete bridges are in good condition;
war- damaged bridges or bridges neglected during the
30 -month civil war are being repaired as rapidly as
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PASSING TRACK.
MAXIMI'M GRADE:
MINIMUM
RADII'S OF
MAXIMUM
Maximum
Minimum
TERMINALS AND ROUTE MILES
going
C oming
CURVATURE
AXLELOAD
Interval
Length
Perrenl
Fect
Short ions
Mdrs
Feet
Lagos -Minna
1.5
1.5
662
18.1
12.4
1,400
462 route miles
Minna Kaduna Junction
�l.11
+1.3
+765
13.8
11.8
1,400
99 route miles
Kaduna Junction- Zaria
+1.0
+1.0
+765
13.8
11.8
1,400
52 rout:t miles
Zaria- Nguru
+1.3
+1.3
+574
13.8
11.2
908
230 route miles
Zaria -Kaura Nsmoda
1.0
+1.3
+717
13.8
15.5
908
137 route miles
Minna- Baro
0.7
0.7
717
13.8
20
971
111 route miles
Port Harcourt Kafanchan
1.0
1.14
574
13.8
14.2
1,300
458 route miles
Kafanchan Kaduna Junction...........
1.3
1.3
574
13.8
14.9
1,300
111 route miles
Kafanchan- Bauchi
2.0
I'.0
574
13.8
19.2
951
148 route miles
Bauchi- Maiduguri
1.5
na
950
12.0
22.9
1,500
291 route miles
Kuru- Jos
+$.0
*2.0
+574
13.8
18
na
22 route miles
Ifo- Idogo
1.3
1.5
574
13.8
na
na
27 route miles
na Data rot, available.
*Estimated.
border movement. International road connections link
Nigeria with Dahomey, Niger, and Cameroon. Also,
Fort -Lamy, Chad, may be reached via highway across
the northern tip of Cameroon.
The road network totals approximately 55,400
miles, of which about 9,500 miles are bituminous
surfaced; the remaining 45,900 miles consist of
laterite, gravel, crushed stone, and �improved and
unimproved earth. Bituminous- surfaced roads range
from 10 to 24 feet wide. Gravel, crushed -stone and
laterite surfaced roads are front 10 to 25 feet wide.
Shoulders on surfaced roads are up to 10 feet wide.
Improved and unimproved earth roads range in width
from about 10 to 15 feet and generally do not have
shoulders. Roads are in poor to good condition,
depending generally on the type of surfacing, on the
frequency of maintenance, and on deterioration
occurring during the rainy season. The alignment of
roads in mountainous areas, particularly at the eastern
border and in the Jos highlands. is frequently winding,
with sharp curves and steep grades.
Information on the total number of bridges on the
Nigerian highway network is not available. Of the
approximately 3,000 bridges on the primary (or trunk)
4
road system, more than half are constructed of steel or
concrete (Figure 2); the most common, types of
construction are the through and half through truss,
girder, or beam. However, there are still many timber
structures on the primary and secondary networks.
Most bridges have unlimited vertical clearances; the
through truss bridges with horizontal cross members
above the bridge deck (Figure 3) have vertical
clearances of 14 feet or more. Horizontal clearance
varies considerably; most timber bridges and
permanent types constructed prior to 1960 are only 12
feet wide. Structures built after 1960 are up to 24 feet
wide or generally equal to the road width. Load
capacities vary widely depending on the age of the
structure and the construction material but range from
8 to 25 tons on the Trunk A and Trunk B roads.
Timber bridges on many local roads have low load
capacities estimated at from 2 to 5 tons, depending on
the original design and condition of the structure.
Present construction designs specify that new bridges
have a gross load capacity of approximately 3i tons.
Most steel and concrete bridges are in good condition;
war- damaged bridges or bridges neglected during the
30 -month civil war are being repaired as rapidly as
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funds and manpower permit. Timber bridges are
frequently in poor condition because of the destructive
effects of seasonal floods which undermine or
otherwise weaken the structure. Manv of the
unbridged waterways are crossed by using modern
diesel driven or primitive cable- operated ferries. There
are also a great number of fords on the less significant
roads.
Highway construction and maintenance are shared
by federal, state, and local administrations. Trunk A
roads are administered by the Commission for Works
and Housing; Trunk B roads are the responsibility of
the respective st- to governments; and local roads are
administered by local authorities. The trend in recent
years has been to improve local roads and transfer
them to state maintenance as Trunk B roads. In
addition, there is a trend to upgrade certain of the
"Trunk B roads and transfer them to federal
maintenance as Trunk A roads. The increasing federal
and state mileage has caused some political and fiscal
problems stemming from the costs of maintaining
these routes. The Federal Highway Authority, a
statutory corporation, was established in 1972 with
resp�;, Jbility for planning, construction, and
maintenance of the network of federal (Trunk A)
roads. Apart from the destruction and damage which
the roads and bridges suffered as a result of the civil
war, manv of them had reached an advanced stage of
deterioration caused by a lack of maintenance during
this period. In addition, major construction and
maintenance problems are caused by a shortage of
skilled personnel and equipment and by the effects of
climate. I rains occur from March through
November along the coast and from June through
September in the interior of the country; during these
periods construction and maintenance activities are
curtailed or halted. The many miles of low -type roads
deteriorate rapidly in wet weather and require
considerable maintenance. Construction of roads is
difficult in hilly and :mountainous areas, where
extensive excavation and the construction of
embankments and retaining walls are required. The
manv rivers and streams require the construction of
numerous culverts and bridges and, in some cases, the
installation of ferry facilities. There is an abundant
supply of laterite, gravel, and sand; several rock
quarries provide suitable aggregate for road
construction. There are several cement plants in the
country, but production has not vet achieved prewar
levels. Cement requirements are supplemented by
imports, and all structural steel is imported. Bitumen
obtained from the petroleum refiriory at Port Harcourt
is supplemented with imports.
The Federal Republic of Nigeri.i has instituted the
Second National Development Plan for the 4 -year
period from 1970 to 1974. Total investment in the
transport sector during the plan period is to be $678
million, with $468 million to be provided by the
federal government and $210 mi:'lion to be provided
;)y the states. The biggest area of expenditure is to be
roads, where the states are scheduled to spend. $202
million and the federal government $263 million. In
addition to continuing work on projects already
started, several new road construction projects are to
get underway during the plan period. One of the most
important of these projects, to be completed in 1974, is
the construction of a $25 :pillion expressway between
Lagos and Ibadan, Nigeria's two largest cities. Also,
engineering design and about half the construction of
two new road bridges at Jebba and Makurdi should be
completed during the plan period. In addition to
5
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FIGURE 2. Concrete deck bridge between Zoria and
Sokoto in northern Nigeria (U /OU)
FIGURE 3. Combined highway -rail bridge across Benue
River at Makurdi (U /OU)

FIGURE 4. Ferry crossing Niger
River near Yelwa (U /OU)
actual construction, some 15 potential road segments
will be studied and designed. Nigerian roads are
assuming increasing international Significance as
manifested in February 1972 with the signing of a
contract to rebuild and repave the road link between
Idiroko in Nigeria and Porto -Novo in Dahomey. The
Trans African Highway from Mombasa, Kenya, to
Lagos, for which studies are presently being
conducted, will extend from the northern Cameroon
border to Lagos, bisecting Nigeria from east to west.
Repairs to the Niger River Bridge at Onits'na are
underway to restore the bridge to its prewar cc iition
and capacity.
Highway traffic is impeded by many bottlenecks on
the system, including ferries (Figure 4), fords, narrow
and low- capacity bridges, and sharp curves and steep
grades. In addition, traffic is hampered by the many
miles of narrow roads and routes that are poorly
constrL� tea and aligned. In the rainy season -Hiles of
poor quality roads are closed to traffic for short periods
to prot the surfaces, and many earth roads become
slippery or impassable. Ferry operations are also
curtailed or halted because of high water. In the dry
season vehicle operations in the northern part of the
country are impaired by intense summer heat and by
dust conditions. Temporary traffic problems are being
experienced since the country switched on 2 April 1972
from driving on the left side of the road to driving on
the right.
There are numerous transport firms that operate
about 25 to 200 vehicle- each. Service is offered to all
parts of the country; some classes of vehicles are
restricted to operations over certain routes because of
regulations pertaining to weights and dimensions of
trucks and trailers. "Mammy wagons," which consist
of a truck chassis and a locally built body adapted for
freight and passenger use, operate t., any part of the
R
country where traffic warrants. Ownership of these
vehicles varies from an owner- driver to a large
transporter who may own a fleet of up to 100. The
number and use of this type of vehicle have slowly
decreased as more modern equipment, especially
buses, come into us In addition, the government is
increasingly regulating "Mammy wagon" operations
to force them off the roads. The Nigerian Railway
Corporation operates a fleet of vehicles to provide
pickup and final delivery services from railroad
terminals to the consumer.
In January 1971, there were 125,654 motor vehicles
registered, including 84,941 passenger cars and 40,713
trucks and buses. All vehicles and spare parts are
imported, rnainly from the United Kingdom and other
countries of the European Communities (EC).
Figure 5 lists characteristics of the most important
highways.
D. Inland waterways (C)
Inland waterway transportation has played a very
limited role in the carriage of goods and passengers
and generally has not fulfilled the high hopes held by
the government. This is due mainly to navigational
restrictions and tl.e rapidly developing highway
network. River transport accounts for less than 6% of
total surface tonnage; cargoes consist mainly of
forestry, agricultural, and petroleum products. During
normal operations approximately 365,000 short tons of
cargo are moved and about 125 million ton -miles are
produced on the principal waterways by organized
water transport companies. An additional 35,000 short
tons usually are carried by privately owned craft.
Approximately 165,000 short tons also move
throughout the Niger Delta, particularly to and from
the maritime ports of Lagos and Port Harcourt. About
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FIGURE 5. Selected highways (C)
Jet. 43 mi. SW of Jos to Pambe-
guwa.
Pambeguwa to Zaria..........
Zaria to Sokoto
Sokoto to Illela
Shagamu to Cameroon border
near Mamfe, via Benin City
and Enugu.
Shagamu to Benin City.
Benin City to Onitsha........
Onitsha to Enugu.
Enugu to Bansara.........
Bansara to Cameroon frontier.
Jos to Ngala via Potiskum and
Maiduguri.
.Jos to Maiduguri
Maiduguri to Ngala
148
Bituminous.
12 to 24
SURFACE
SHOULDER
52
ORIGIN AND DESTINATION
DISTANCE.
SURFACE TYPE.
WIDTH
WIDTH
REMARKS
12 to '24
Miles
Fair condition. Undulating to hilly
Feel
Feet
Lagos to Niger border via Ilorin,
792
Bituminous.
to 24
0 to 10
Fair to good condition. There
Kontagora, Kaduna, and
are
Kano.
Narrow surface west of Benin City.
several long bridges in Lagos; the
Numerous bridges over 150 ft. long
new Eko Bridge is reinforced con-
on this route. The longest is about
crete, 5,000 ft. long. There are
4,600 1t. long over the Niger River
approximately 20 additional bridges
at Onitsl a; damage incurred during
over 150 ft. long on this route.
Port Harcourt to Illela at Niger
1,067
do...........
although temporary Bailey bridging
Undulatinb alignment.
permits one -lane passage.
Numerous bric;ges on the route; the
border.
0 to 5
Fair condition. Hilly alignment.
86
....do............
longest is a 2,628 -ft. rail and high-
0 to 5
Poor condition. Undulating align-
way bridge over the Benue River
Port Harcourt to Aliade.......
303
....do............
12 to 18
0 to 6
near Makurdi.
Fair condition. Hilly alignment.
Aliade to Jet. 43 mi. SIN' of
200
Gravel
16 to 18
0 to 6
Do.
Jos.
10 to 22
0 to 5
Do.
455
Jet. 43 mi. SW of Jos to Pambe-
guwa.
Pambeguwa to Zaria..........
Zaria to Sokoto
Sokoto to Illela
Shagamu to Cameroon border
near Mamfe, via Benin City
and Enugu.
Shagamu to Benin City.
Benin City to Onitsha........
Onitsha to Enugu.
Enugu to Bansara.........
Bansara to Cameroon frontier.
Jos to Ngala via Potiskum and
Maiduguri.
.Jos to Maiduguri
Maiduguri to Ngala
148
Bituminous.
12 to 24
0 to 6
Do.
52
Gravel
12 to 18
0 to 6
Do.
306
Bituminous........
12 to '24
0 to 6
Fair condition. Undulating to hilly
alignment.
58
Improved earth.
8 to 12
0 to 6
Poor to fair condition. Undulating to
hilly alignment.
454
Narrow surface west of Benin City.
Numerous bridges over 150 ft. long
on this route. The longest is about
4,600 1t. long over the Niger River
at Onitsl a; damage incurred during
civil hostilities is being repaired,
although temporary Bailey bridging
permits one -lane passage.
176
Bituminous........
24
0 to 5
Fair condition. Hilly alignment.
86
....do............
12 to 15
0 to 5
Poor condition. Undulating align-
ment.
24
do............
24
0 to 5
Fair condition. Undulating alignment.
108
do
12 to 14
0 to 5
Do.
65
Gravel
10 to 22
0 to 5
Do.
455
Some bridges on this route, but only
four are known to be over 150 ft.
long. Longest bridge is 360 ft. over
Ebeji River at Gambaru.
367
Bituminous......
12 to 24
3 to 5
Fair condition. Hilly alignment.
88
Gravel
12 to 14
0 to 2
Fair condition. Undulating alignment.
two- thirds of the total tonnage moved is from the
interior of the country to the maritime and delta ports.
The Nigerian civil disturbance had an adverse effect
on inland waterway operations, halting river tre ffic on
the Niger �Benue system and causing severe losses to
commercial operators. The two largest and most
successful river fleets (Holt Water Transport and Niger
River Transport Company) liquidated their assets at
the conclusion of the war. Much of the traffic on the
Benue is expected to be absorbed by the Transcam-
eroon Railway upon its completion in the early 1970's.
Although adequate for normal economic demands,
the waterway system will require major improvements,
including improved navigational conditions and
operating procedures, to accommodate any really
significant increase in water transport service.
Nigeria has 5,330 miles of navigable waterways
within three major networks: the tidal creeks and
coastal lagoons; the Niger and Benue and their
tributaries and deltaic distributaries; and the Cross. In
addition, the newly formed Kainji Lake offers several
hundred miles of navigable lake routes. The creeks
and lagoons are interconnected and form a natural
communications link between Lagos and the Niger
7
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Delta. The Niger and Benue, two of the principal
waterways, afford lengthy routes inland, the Niger to
the northwestern interior, Dahomey, Niger, and Mali,
and the Benue to the eastern interior v nd Cameroon.
The third principal waterway, the Cross, serves eastern
Nigeria and is utilized primarily by native craft.
The Niger is one of the world's great rivers, almost
rivaling the Nile in economic potential and
geographic importance. Formerly, inland waterway
craft could travel up the Niger to a point northwest of
Jebba, where further passage upstream was prevented
by rapids. However, with the completion of the Kainji
Dam in February 1969, it is believed possible to
develop the Niger as a commercial waterway on a
national and international basis. Experimentation is
underway to determine the feasibility of regular
commercial water transport service to the Republic of
Niger. The Niger is expected to be navigable up to 7
months a year by barges of 700 tons capacity traveling
th(� entire length of the Niger within Nigeria. The
Benue and the Cross are not navigable throughout the
year due to low water conditions in their upper
reaches. Owing to the short duration of navigation on
the Benue, the commercial shipping companies
concentrate their fleets on the river from late June or
early July to the end of October to move seaEonal
cargoes from Garoua, in Cameroon. Yola, Numan,
and Makurdi shipments are loaded and moved
downstream as the shipping season progressively
deteriorates. The largest coasters able to reach
Makurdi on the Benue are from 550 to 850 tons. The
largest river craft operating on the Niger and Benue
are semi integrated tows consisting of a towboat and
eight barges with a total carrying capacity of 3,600
tons.
The Niger and its delta complex of waterways
cannot be entered by large oceangoing vessels.
Excluding Port Harcourt, which can be reached by
maritime vessels of considerable size, the principal
entry into the Niger is via the Escravos River and
Chanomi Creek stream channel to the Foreados River,
the major distributary of the Niger.
Fluctuation in water levels, shifting channels,
silting, rapids, and extreme meandering are the main
factors adversely affecting navigation on the principal
waterways. Channel widths are not restrictive to
passage by commercial vessels, and in only a few
instances, in the Niger Delta area and the upper
reaches of the Benue, does curvature make navigation
difficult. The water levels in the upper reaches of the
Benue and Cross become so low during the period
March to June and January to March, respectively,
that commercial navigation becomes impossible.
0
Tidal currents and vegetation carried downstream
during high -water periods are interruption factors in
the delta region. Rock protrusions, especially at the
confluence of the Niger and Benue at Lokoja, are
hazards even though they are marked by buoys.
Very few bridges span the waterways. There are
bridges at Onitsha, Kainji, and Jebba on the Niger
and at Makurdi on the Benue. Only the Makurdi
railroad bridge is restrictive, preventing further
upstream passage by small coasters during the high
water season. The Kainji Dam, located on the Niger
630 miles from the sea, can be bypassed via a canal
fitted with two locks. The 2- mile -long Awuru Canal,
located 11 miles south of Kainji, permits the bypassing
of the heretofore treacherous Niger rapids by push -tow
units consisting of a pusher and two barges of the
gondola type.
Inland waterway ports fall into two categories.
Within the first category are the maritime /inland
waterway ports of the delta area. These serve basically
as transshipment centers from river craft to maritime
vessels and include the ports of Burutu, Warri, and
Sapele. Within the second category are the strictly
inland waterway ports serving the interior. Trans-
shipment here is from river craft to rail or highway
transport. The major inland ports are Baro �a leading
railhead and the most important facility� Onitsha,
Lokoja, Makurdi, and Yola. Yelwa, the northernmost
port on the Kainji Lake, is expected to become a major
waterway facility. In most inland ports, facilities for
the quick handling of goods are inadequate; manual
handling and poor storage arrangements are the
general rule.
Dugout canoes, long the traditional means of
w;.terway transport in Nigeria, have been supple-
mented b more modern passenger and cargo craft.
Canoes and other similar shallow -draft craft ply all
waterways and carry a large amount of tonnage. Their
services are used extensively in areas inaccessible by
other transport means. On the main creeks and rivers,
craft vary from dugout canoes to modern barge trains.
A very common vessel in use has been the stern-
wheeler with a draft of from 4 to 6 feet. Diesel
powered towboats are in use with push- towing the
general practice. These vessels are capable of pushing
from 4 to 8 barges with a total load of about 1,500 tons
and have a draft of from 5 to 6 feet.
The total capacity of the commercial barge fleet is
approximately 45,000 tons. The fleet serves the Niger,
the Benue, and the coastal creeks and distributaries; in
1964 it consisted of at least 69 nowered vessels and 180
barges ranging in carrying capacity from 10 to 1,000
tons. The government operates a fleet of 86 powered
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and 114 dumb craft. In addition, there are estimated
to be 2.0,000 small craft of private ownership. The
average barge capacity is approximately 200 tons with
a draft of 6 feet. Dugout canoes vary i capacity, with
the largest capable of transporting 20 tons of cargo.
Much of the equipment is poorly designed, old, and in
need of repair. Construction and maintenance of river
craft are performed at various river and delta ports.
Local boatyards construct small craft drawing from
1.9 to 3.8 feet and equipped with either outboard or
small diesel engines.
Control over inland waterways is vested primarily in
the Inland Waterway Department (IWD), under the
Cornmissioner for Transport, with headquarts:rs in
Lokoja. The IWD has the responsibility for river
management and conservancy, which includes the
operation and maintenance of government -owned
craft, channel improvement, navigational aids, and
waterway regulations. The Nigerian Ports Authority
ha. jurisdiction over 10 maritime /inland waterway
ports. Prior to the civil war about 95% of all waterway
operations were organized by private concerns;
however, state controlled organizations are now the
principal operators. The Central Water Transport
Company, which is jointly owned by five states, was
inaugurated in February 1972 with the aim of
improving river transportation. The existing private
carriers include the Niger Benue Water Transport Co.,
Compagnie de Transport ,-t Commerce, and J. Elder
Dempster Line, Ltd. A few relatively small companies
operate specialized transport firms.
Unskilled labor is plentiful in all parts of Nigeria.
Artisans and technically trained personnel are scarce,
but this situation has improved as a res-ilt of the
experience gained front the Kainji Darn construction
project and training offered by the Nigerian Ports
Authority for the IWD.
The completion of the Ka..inji prcject provides
numerous improvements to navigation, including the
extension of the upper limit of through navigation on
the Niger to bevcnd the .Dahomey border. More
importantly, the dam permits control of flood waters
and thereby extends the navigation season down-
stream. Plans for the improvement of the Benue,
principally through extending the navigation season
by the construction of flood control dams, is being
considered in light of the pending loss of traffic to the
Transcameroon Railway, which will serve areas that
have been using the Benue. Also, increased dredging
operations, improved navigational aids, fleet
rehabilitation, the introduction of night navigation,
and the construction of a water- control facility at
Jebba are planned in an extensive effort to make the
waterway system more responsive to the country's
transport requirements.
Physical characteristics of selected Nigerian
waterways are listed in Figure 6.
E. Pipelines (C)
Most of Nigeria's pipelines are Icz!ated in the eastern
part of the Niger Delta. Their total length is in excess
of 620 miles, including 581 miles of crude oil lines,
over 40 miles of natural -gas lines, and 3 miles of
refined products lines. Over 100 miles of crude
pipelines are planned or are under construction.
FIGURE 6. Physical characteristics of selected waterways (C)
CHANNEL
CHARACTERISTICS
NAME, TYPE, AND
NAVIGABLE LENGTH
Width Safe draft
CONTROLLING LOCK
DIMENSIONS; LENGTH
AND WIDTH; DEPTH
OVER SILL
CONTROLLING
UNDERBRIDGE
CLEARANCES
Hori-
zontal Vertical REMARKS
NIGER: Feet
Natural and dredged stream: 249 4.9 (H W) 390 x 40; 8........ 140 30 (HNv) Safe draft 20.6 ft. in delta
laud -cut raual; 790 mi. 2.9 (MN')
region.
BENUE:
Natural stream; 564 mi...... 196.8 4.9 (II w) No locks.......... 214 40 (M11W) River extends additional 46
2.9 (Mw)
0.98 (L NV) miles to Cameroon port of
CROSS:
Garoua.
Estuary; natural stream; 238 na 9.8 (H1v) ..do............ 328 na River extends additional 69
mi. 3'9 (LIV) miles to Cameroon port of
Mamfe.
na Data not available.
0
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13
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Nigerians a.e trained as deck and engineer officers
on selected oceangoing ships under the sponsorship of
the Nigerian Ports Authority. On board, the cadets
learn all phases in ship operation, receive some
training overseas, and usually take a correspondence
course for preparation of shore -based studies at the
end of their sea term. These apprentice cadets are fully
occupied in training for about 8 years before
quali.iying as master mariners.
H. Civil air (C)
Nigeria Airways, Ltd. formerly known as West
African Airways Corporation WAAC (Nigeria), Ltd.
is the national flag carrier providing both domestic
and international services. The airline was initially
organized in partnership with British Overseas Airways
Corporation (BOAC) and the Elder- Dempster
Shipping Co., also a British firm; Nigeria Airways
became a state enterprise in April 1961 when the
government purchased the British holding. The
carrier, which suffers financially from a lack of
technical and managerial competence, has recently
signed an agreement with Trams� ::'arld Airlines, Inc.
(TWA) to serve as management consultant.
International service is scheduled between Nigeria and
12 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa,
to soine extent in a pool with British Caledonian and
other airways. Direct service to New York and London
is available through blocked space agreements with
Pan American World Airways, Inc. (Pan Am).
Domestic air travel is provided to 12 cities and
towns �Benin City, Calabar, Enugu, Ibadan, Jos,
Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt,
Sokoto, and Yola. Nigeria Airways is a memb-- of the
International Air Transport Association (IATA) and
the regional Association cf African Airlines, which
plays a complementary role to 1A TA in Africa.
Domestic and international charter services are
provided primarily by Pan African Airlines (Nigeria),
Ltd. (PAA), which is based at Ikeja Airfield (Lagos).
This American -owned company conducts chartered
flights for the U.S. Government, the Government of
Nigeria, and private companies. PAA currently
operates a number of helicopters on charter to
Nigerian Gulf Oil Company. PAA's sister corporation,
Tropical Aircraft Sales, with headquarters in Lagos, is
the Cessna Aircraft agent for West Africa. A new
company, ARAX Airlines, also provides charter
services.
Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria, Ltd., offers
nonscheduled and general aerial work, including,
contracting charters for oil companies operating in
14
Nigeria. The carrier, a subsidiary of Schreiner Air
Transport N.V. of The Hague, started operations in
Nigeria in 1960 and at times has operated scheduled
services, chiefly in northern Nigeria.
Air taxi and air utility services are also provided by
two other charter operators� Bristow Helicopters
(Nigeria), Ltd., a subsidiary of British Caledonian,
and Delta Maritime and Aviation Co., both of which
operate out of Lagos airfield. Other organizations
participating in flying activities include the Nigerian
civil aviation school, the Lagos Flying Club,
missionary groups, government agencies, and business
firms.
Approximately 100 civil aircraft are registered in
Nigeria. Of these, 13 have a gross weight of 20,000
pounds or more. Nigeria Airways owns nine of these
major transport aircraft: one Boeing 707 -320C, three
Fokker F- 27- 200's, two F- 27- 600's, and three F -28's. It
also owns a Piper pA -23 -250 Aztec which is used for
charter services and leases one Boeing 737 which is
used for scheduled services. The remaining four major
planes are distributed as follows: the federal
government, one Hawker Siddeley HS 12Z 1RAX
Airlines, two Douglas DC 3's; and PAA, one L ,u: las
DC-6. PAA also owns 13 light fixed-wing and rotar-
wing aircraft with Nigerian registration and operates a
varying number of DC- 4/C -54 -type aircraft with U.S.
registration. In addition, Nigeria Airways has ordered
one Boeing 707 -320C and two 737- 200's, which are to
be delivered by early 1973.
An estimated 3,000 persons are engaged in civil
aviation activities in the natio,,. Nigeria Airways
employs approximately 2,500 pees: nnel, including 45
pilots (24 Nigerian) and 570 maintenance personnel.
PAA employs about 60 persons, including 12 pilots,
and Aero Contractors has a staff of 80, including 14
pilots. There are an estimated 100 additional private
and commercial pilots in the country. The number of
pilots and mechanics fluctuates considerably.
Training programs are conducted both at home and
abroad. The government, in cooperation with the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),
operates the Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Center
at 'Laria. The center provides training for commer-
cial pilots, aircraft mechanic,, radio mechanics,
communications operators, air traffic controllers,
and meteorologists. Courses for various airline posi-
tions are also amducted at Nigerian Ainvays' aviation
school at Lagos airfield. Airline personnel are sent
overseas for advanced and specialized training. The
Lagos Flying Club, which operated f �)m Kiri Kiri
airstrip (Lagos), provides basic flyin instruction.
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Electronics and engineering courses are offered at
the five Nigerian universities.
Aircraft maintenance facilities are located chiefly at
Lagos airfield. Nigeria Airways' engineering base is
used for routine airframe and engine servicing. Major
maintenance and engine overhaul are accomplished in
Europe. PAA's hanger facility at L_ >os handles
roltine engineering services Spare pars stacks are
located at Nairobi, Kenya, where Safari A:r Services
(Kenya) undertakes all FAA engine overhauls. Other
firms with a maintenance capability at Lagos air
include Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria, which
does contract work for the government and private
firms; and Aeronautical Services West Afri::a, Ltd.,
and Delta Maritime and Aviation Company, both of
which service light aircraft and engines. Bristow
Helicopters' maintenance facility is located at Port
Harcourt airfield; minor maintenance service is also
available at Kano airfield. The quality of main-
tenance varies.
Responsibility for control and regulation of civil
aviation is vested in the Aviation Division of the
Ministry of Transport. The Civil Aviation Act of 1964
came into force on 1 December 1965 and replaces all
former orders and regulations on civil aviation in
Nigeria.
Nigeria is a member state of the ICAO and is
represented on the ICAO Council. The Nigerian
Government has civil aviation agreements or
provisional arrangements with at least 30 countries,
including the U.S.S.R. Eighteen foreign airlines,
including the Soviet carrier Aeroflot, conduct
scheduled services between Nigeria and 35 cities in 33
countries.
I. Airfields' (C)
The air facilities system of Nigeria consists of 77
usable airfields, of which six are civil, one is military,
three are joint military /civil, and the remainder have
limited or no facilities. In addition, there are 13
emergency landing sites and four seaplane stations.
The airfields are evenly distributed throughout the
country, generally near cities and towns along the lines
of surface communication.
The two most important international airfields,
Kano and Lagos, are capable of handling aircraft of
the C -135 and C -141 classes, respectively. Both are
equipped with navigational aids and have hydrant
'For detailed information on individual airfields in Nigeria see
Volume 20, Airfields and Seaplane Stations of the world, published
by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center for the Defense
Intelligence Agency.
refueling accommodations, complete repair service,
and support facilities. Taxiways and aprons are
generally well maintained and are in fair condition.
Twelve airfields have hard -surfs ced runways; the
remainder have temporary or natural surfaces. Most of
the latter have no facilities. One airfield can support
C- 135 -type aircraft; two airfields, C -130; one, C -124;
one, C -141; four, C -54; one, C -46; sixteen, C-47; two,
C -97; the remainder can handle liaison -type aircraft.
The four seaplan- stations, Calabar, Burutu, Lagos,
and Port Harcourt, could be used in an emergency;
they have no known support facilities. The 13
emergency landing sites have little or no significance.
Maintenance of the airfields is generally good. It
may vary from minor repairs at lesser airfields to
periodic major repairs at larger airfields which have
support and service equipment readily available. The
extensio:: of Makurdi airfield is still in the planning
stag;.- Lagos airfield hus been strengthened and
extended from 7,600 feet to 9,050 feet.
Figure 10 list characteristics of Nigeria's most
important airfields.
J. Telecommunications (C)
The Commissioner of Communications has the
responsibility for administering Nigeria's telecom-
munications (telecom) system. Radio and televisi -n
broadcasting are managed by the Nigerian Broadcast-
ing Corporation (NBC), a government corporation.
There are also several commercial radiobroadcast and
TV companies. Domestic te ecom facilities are owned
and operated by the Posts and Telegraph Department
under the Commissioner of Transport. International
telecommunications are managed by Nigerian
External Telecommunication, Ltd., a joint -stock
corporation, 51 owned by the Nigerian Government
and 49% by the British company, Cable and Wireless
Ltd. Some private companies and organizations
operate their own telecom networks under license by
the government.
The domestic long- distance system is based on
radio -relay links. The highest capacity radio -relay
circuit, 1,200 channels, connects Lagos t;) Kano via
Ibadan, Oshogbo, florin, Minna, Kaduna, and Zaria.
Two important branches extend from this ciruit. They
are the Minna -Enugu route (via Baro, Lokoja, and
Nsukka) and the Kaduna Maiduguri route (via Jos,
Bauchi, and Potiskum). These high- capacity links
were completed in the first phase of the current long
range telecom development program. Older, very
high- frequency (VHF), radio -relay extentions provide
most of the long- distance connections between Bauchi
15
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FIGURE 10. Selected airfields (C)
LON%iEST RUNWAY:
SURFACE; DIMENSIONS;
ELEVATION ABOVE SEA
NAME AND LOCATION LEVEL FSWL�
Feet Poundn
Benin City Asphalt............. 59,893
6'19
10,000 x 200
260
Calabar
Asphalt.............
4'58 8'21'E.
7,400 x 150
206
Enugu
Asphalt.............
6'29'N., 7'34'E.
6,000 x 151
461
Gusau
Laterite
12'10'N., 6'42
4,800 x 150
1,520
Ibadar
Asphalt.............
7'26'N., 3'54'F..
4,540 x 150
769
Jos
Asphalt.............
9 8'54
5,100 x 150
4,250
Kaduna
Macadam...........
10'35'N., 7
8,530 x 150
2,126
Kano
Asphalt.............
12 8
8,600 x 200
1,562
Lagos
Asphalt.............
6'35 3'19'E�
9,050 x 150
132
Maiduguri
Asphalt.............
11'51'N., 13'04'E.
6,000 x 150
1,162
Port Harcourt.
Asphalt.............
4'51'N., 7'01'E.
7,000 x 150
58
Sokoto
Asphalt.............
13'00 5'15
4,900 x 150
1,150
Wawa
Asphalt.............
9'54 4'28'E.
4,000 x 100
750
LARGEST AIRCRAFT
NORMALLY
SUPPORTED REMARKS
C- 124........... Joint. Scheduled internal services.
Aviatiog fuel available.
28,160 C- 54............ Joint. Domestic airways. Scheduled
services available.
14,200 C- 47............ Joint. Aviation fuel available, sup-
ports scheduled airline flights.
14,200 DC- 3........... Civil. Scheduled internal services.
14,200 DC- 3........... Do.
14,200 DC- 3........... Civil. Scheduled services. Aviation
fuel is available.
17,034 C- 131........... Joint. Aviation and jet fuel is avail-
able. Scheduled services.
56,607 Boeing 707...... Civil. International airfield. Aviation
and jet fuel is available.
65,100 C 141........... Joint. International airfield. Avia-
tion and jet fuel is available.
Scheduled services.
28,160 DC- 4........... Civil. Aviation and jet fuel is avail
able. Scheduled services.
35,500 C 130..... Joint. Scheduled internal services.
35,500 L382B.......... Civil. Domestic services scheduled.
(Lockheed 100) Aviation fuel is available.
28,160 DC-4 Civil. Scheduled internal services.
*Equivalent Single -Wheel Loading: Capacity of an airfield runway to sustain the weight of any multiple -wheel landing -gear
aircraft in terms of the single -wheel equivalent.
and Yola, Jos and Makurdi, Oshogbo and Lokoja,
Zaria and Sokoto, and Aba and Ogoja. Carrier
equipped open -wire lines extend beyond the radio
relay system to several outlying towns, including
Nguru, Benin City, Ijebu Ode, Enugu, and
Kafanchan. Radiocommunication stations supple-
ment these networks. A continuing program of
installing automatic exchanges has resulted in more
and better telephone service in major towns, but
smaller towns still have manual exchanges. In early
1972 Nigeria had about 82,000 telephones.
16
The principal international facility is a high
frequency radiocommunication station of the
Nigerian External Telecommunications, Ltd. (NET),
with transmitting and receiving sites at Lagos. Direct
radiocommunication circuits to some 20 African and
world capitals provide two -way telephone, telegraph,
and telex service. Secondary international radiocom-
munication stations are at Kano (circuits to Fort
Lamy, Chad, and Zinder, Niger) and Yola (circuit to
Garoua, Cameroon). Old single channel submarine
telegraph cables connect Lagos to Accra, Ghana, and
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Cotonou, Dahomey. Low capacity VHF radio -relay
l inks cross the border westward to Porto -Novo,
Dahomey, and eastward to Buea, Cameroon. A
recently completed earth satellite communication
station is located at Lalate, approximately 90 miles
north of Lagos. In addition to improving international
telephone and telegraph communications with
Nigeria, the station will be equipped to relay
international TV programs. International communica-
tions are integrated with Nigeria's telephone and
N I G E R
7
a
Sokoto
UPPER
VOLTA
O
Bussa
M
Jebba
El Oshogbo
D I]
Lalate Ibadan
Namoda
telegraph nets in Lagos and relayed between Lagos
and the Lalate station by a microwave circuit.
Special purpose telecor_t facilities are operated by
government and private organizations, such as the
police; aeronautical, maritime, and railway au-
thorities; and marketing and export organizations.
Business enterprises operate networks for various
purposes, one of the largest being the radio -relay
system of the Shell -BP Petroleum Development
Company of Nigeria, Ltd., for pipeline control in the
IAKI 0%
Cl/.1 rl
4 OD I
D Maiduguri
u Zaria
0=1
I] Kaduna
OI] Bauchi Gombe
Jos
rr/ Kafanchan