President Muhammadu Buhari Flags Off $1.2bn, 203.8km Kano-Kaduna Rail Project

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari  on Thursday flagged off $1.2bn 203.8km Kano-Kaduna rail project.

It will link the major commercial cities of Kano and Kaduna to the federal capital territory, Abuja.

When completed, mega-railway station at Zawachiki in Kano would be the biggest train station in Nigeria.

President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday flagged off the construction of the $1.2 billion, 203.8 kilometers Kano-Kaduna railway project in the ancient city of Kano.

When completed, the proposed mega-railway station at Zawachiki in Kano would be the biggest train station in Nigeria. In addition to creating employment and promoting trade, the railway will help decongest the Lagos port complex and increase efficiency.

The proposed rail project is the third segment of the Lagos-Kano standard gauge railway modernisation project. The first segment, the Abuja-Kaduna Railway, and the second segment, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway, were inaugurated for commercial operations in July 2016 and June 2021, respectively.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, President Buhari said said his administration has accorded railway infrastructure development the greatest priority as it believes rail transportation is a potent economic driver.

“The take-off of construction activities on this segment of Lagos-Kano vividly represents the commitment of this administration in the revival of the Nigerian railway system to reduce the deficiency in our transportation infrastructure and drive effective and more efficient transportation of passengers and freight within the country,”

“This project is crucial to the establishment of a supply chain in railway transport within its corridor, Kano-Kaduna-Abuja, as it links the major commercial cities of Kano and Kaduna to the federal capital territory, Abuja.

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“This railway connection, when completed, will establish the ports in Lagos, as the choice for import and export business of the people of landlocked Niger Republic.

“This would positively drive our economies through employment from new business opportunities and wealth creation.

“The federal ministry of transportation and ministry of finance are working to engage co-financiers to conclude financial agreements for the development of the Ibadan-Kano line and further increase the bankability of the project.

“The railway line will be linked to the second port in Lagos, the Tin Can Island port. It is also expected that the dry inland port on these routes will be activated. The ports can now receive imports directly from the international market as ports of destination.”

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