FG says Abuja-Kano-Maradi rail will be delivered in December

…Rail project now at about 70% completion

The Federal government has insisted that the $1.9 billion Abuja-Kano-Maradi rail project will be ready by December, this year.

This is just as the Federal Government said the project, which is expected to strengthen intra- African trade, would be a major revenue earner along that corridor.

Finbarr Zirra, Director of Rail Transport Services, Federal Ministry of Transportation, while speaking on the achievements of the President Bola Tinubu’s Administration, said the project would revolutionise economic activities across the Country, especially the northern region when completed.

Covering a distance of about 400 kilometres, the Kano-Maradi standard gauge line connecting Kano in Nigeria to Maradi in Niger Republic.

The project is designed with 15 stations passing through cities including Dambatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina, and Jibiya, connecting also to Maradi, 40 kilometres to Niamey, capital of Niger Republic.

Zirra described the project as “one of the major critical infrastructure embarked upon by the Tinubu’s government that is needed to enhance the country’s economic development.”

He revealed that Kano would serve as a major hub under project which is already about 70% completed.
The rail project, which was started by the late former President Muhammad Buhari, is aimed at reducing pressures on the roads, that currently carries about 90% of goods by trailers.

“The road cannot last because what we carry on the road is too heavy.So, no matter how you repair it, the lifespan is usually not much. So, mindful of that in the 80s, the government has felt that we have to retrace our step to make sure that we revive this sector.

” This is something that will salvage our roads, and also be able to do something that is futuristic, because it is built to last for at least 100 years”, he said.

He stated that the project would cover the entire North-West, adding that “it is an integrated programme designed to ensure that the railway line runs from Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin, Ilorin to Minna, Minna to Abuja then, up to Kano. But as we speak today, historically, that sector started from Abuja to Kaduna. today, we have Abuja-Kaduna Railway in service. Then, Lagos-Ibadan is also being used. But a lot has been done on Kaduna to Kano.

“The Kaduna-Kano railway line is at substantial stages of completion. In fact, we have Makarfi to Kano that has been completed. Now, we’re having Kaduna to Abuja, hopefully by the end of the year, that sector will be linked.”

BusinessDay reports that while the Chinese are handling the Abuja to Kaduna section of the railway project, the Portuguese are handling that of Kano to Katsina to Jibia, and also to Maradi.

“Maradi is 40 kilometres into Niger. There’s a branch line starting from Kano to Dutse about 100 kilometres. The total length of this is about 400 kilometres. And work is progressively going on. I hope that by the end of the year, from Kano to Katsina will be completed and put to use”, he said.

Apart from the infrastructure, the Federal Government also has the component of the rolling stock, which is the train itself that will fly those routes.

“By the time we finish them, they will be ready for movement. Now, we see that the importance of the railway sector cannot be overemphasised, because, it helps us to save our roads. A train loaded from Lagos to the North, would take off about 30 trucks from our roads.

“If you go to the ports now, we have less of the train at the ports. But even as it is, the narrow gauge rail built by the colonial masters, until last year, moved goods from Lagos to Kano, and it was able to evacuate materials. What stalled it was because of washout on the road.
When completed, the Lagos to Kano railway will be able to take those goods continuously.

“By implication, the way it is designed is that along the corridor, there are dry ports. We hsamave the Dala dry port in Kano. We’ll be able to evacuate it, so that when you take them there, you drop them there, the smaller cars will come and evacuate them.

“So, the importance to Kano as a hub is that at Kano now, you are going to get a train line linking Kano to Katsina to Maradi. You are going to get a train line from Kaduna to Kano. You are going to get a train line from Dutse to Kano. So, it’s a major hub where a lot of activities will take place. And historically, we know that Kano is a commercial city. So, the train, when it comes, there will be safety and movement. When it comes, it will affect even the cost of materials. As part of the multiplier effects, a train line is so enormous that by the time we start, we’ll feel the impact in other sectors”, he added.