The Federal Government is intensifying efforts to complete major railway projects in Northern Nigeria, with the Kaduna-Kano Standard Gauge Railway scheduled for inauguration on December 3. According to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, the 203-kilometre Kaduna-Zaria-Kano railway project has reached approximately 90 per cent completion. This project is an extension of the existing Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge line and will provide a continuous rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council stated that the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project, spanning 400 kilometres, has attained 70 per cent completion. When President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023, the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project was barely five per cent complete, while the Kaduna-Kano project was less than 30 per cent complete. The council attributed the progress to the infrastructure initiatives being accelerated by President Tinubu’s administration.
A Federal Government inspection team, led by Funso Adebiyi, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, recently inspected the two projects on the president’s directive. The team expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction, particularly the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation. The inspection also included a train test-run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The completed 190-kilometre Jaji-Kano section of the Kaduna-Kano railway and the 250-kilometre Dawanu-Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Katsina section of the Kano-Maradi railway are set to be inaugurated on December 3. The Kaduna-Kano railway will provide an alternative to road transportation along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors when operational. This is expected to improve passenger transportation and facilitate the movement of goods.
President Tinubu has also directed that outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis be resolved immediately to facilitate completion of the railway corridor from Abuja to Kano. The APC Presidential Campaign Council stated that the projects reflected the Tinubu administration’s commitment to expanding railway infrastructure and delivering ongoing infrastructure projects across the country as scheduled.
The Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway, on the other hand, is expected to improve cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic. Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, noted that the projects were among the infrastructure initiatives being accelerated by President Tinubu’s administration. The council said the railway would strengthen transportation links across major commercial centres in Northern Nigeria.
The successful completion of these railway projects is a significant step towards enhancing the region's transportation network. The projects have the potential to boost economic growth, create jobs and improve the overall quality of life for residents in Northern Nigeria. With the inauguration set for December 3, the region is expected to witness a major transformation in its transportation sector.
Key points
- The Kaduna-Kano railway project nears 90% completion and is set to be inaugurated on December 3.
- The Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project has attained 70 per cent completion and will improve cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and Niger Republic.
- The projects reflect the Tinubu administration’s commitment to expanding railway infrastructure and delivering ongoing infrastructure projects across the country as scheduled.
