Minister of Transportation Senator Said Alkali says the Kaduna–Kano standard gauge rail project is now 53 per cent completed, while the Kano–Maradi line will reach Katsina by December this year as part of efforts to fast-track rail modernisation across the country.
Speaking at the 2nd International Railway Conference on Monday in Abuja, Alkali said the projects are central to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which has given “special priority to transportation in recognition of the above reality credited to transportation as the gateway to the nation’s economy.”
The Minister explained that the Kaduna–Kano project had moved from just 15 per cent completion at the start of the Tinubu administration to 53 per cent today, with a target date of December 2026 for full completion and inauguration.
“The 387 km Kano-Maradi with extension to Dutse [has grown] from five to 60 per cent. While the Kaduna-Kano project will be ready for completion and inauguration by December 2026, the Kano-Maradi project will reach Katsina by December this year and be ready for completion and inauguration by March 2027,” he said.
Alkali stressed that the two projects are crucial trade and integration corridors. “Nigeria’s Kano–Maradi corridor is more than a railway project; it is a gateway to West Africa’s markets, opening access for Nigerian goods into the Republic of Niger and beyond,” he noted.
He said the government had facilitated funding for the projects, including “sourcing funds from the China Development Bank and the release of the Federal Government’s counterpart funds for the Kaduna-Kano rail modernisation project.”
Beyond these projects, Alkali highlighted other rail milestones under the current administration, including the rehabilitation of the Lagos–Kano narrow gauge line for freight, approval for modern one-bus terminals in all six geopolitical zones, and the introduction of dual-fuel locomotive technology on the Abuja–Kaduna corridor.
He also mentioned the successful take-off of the Federal University of Transportation Daura, the training of over 6,000 transport professionals by the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, and foreign investor interest in high-speed rail projects linking Abuja to Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, the railway is not only about cargo and revenue. It is about national unity. A young student travelling from Maiduguri to Abuja, a family journeying from Kaduna to Lagos, or traders moving between Port Harcourt and Kano. These journeys weave our people closer together. Railways give Nigerians the confidence that the nation is connected, safe, and accessible,” the Minister said.
Alkali emphasised that the future of rail development will focus on three priorities: making rail an economic tool that serves agriculture, industry, and commerce; securing sustainable financing through public-private partnerships and concessions; and empowering Nigerians through jobs and skills development.
He welcomed the recent constitutional amendment moving railway development from the exclusive list to the concurrent list, saying it would “create opportunities for states and private sector participation to maximise the potentials of railway transport as an enabler of economic growth and connector of regional hopes.”
Calling on stakeholders to make the most of the conference, Alkali urged delegates to “come up with new railway operational techniques, funding options and platforms for collaboration to place the railways on top of the socio-economic agenda of states and nations within the continent.”
“This is not a dream. It is a future within our grasp if we work together. Ladies and Gentlemen, the railway is the track of Nigeria’s future, linking our economy, uniting our people, and securing our place in Africa and the world,” he concluded.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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