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• Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail project now 70% complete, up from 5% in 2023
• FG finishes 190km Jaji-Kano section, orders resolution of land compensation issues
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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has fixed December 3 for the inauguration of the Kaduna-Kano Standard Gauge Railway, as the 203-kilometre project approaches completion with 90 per cent of the work done.
The development marks a major milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to expand rail transportation and improve connectivity across Northern Nigeria.
The Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project, another major infrastructure undertaking in the region, has also reached 70 per cent completion, rising from barely five per cent when Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
The Kaduna-Kano project, which was less than 30 per cent complete at the beginning of the administration, is expected to provide a continuous standard gauge rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, linking some of Northern Nigeria’s major commercial centres.
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the progress recorded on both projects reflected Tinubu’s commitment to delivering critical infrastructure across the country.
According to the statement signed by the council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, 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 project will be inaugurated on December 3.
The statement said the two projects were recently inspected by a Federal Government delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, following a directive by the President.
The inspection team reportedly expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction, particularly the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.
Officials also undertook a train test run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The President, according to the statement, has directed that all outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis be resolved immediately to facilitate the completion of the remaining railway corridor linking Abuja to Kano.
When fully operational, the Kaduna-Kano railway is expected to provide an alternative to road transportation along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial routes, while facilitating the movement of passengers and goods.
Similarly, the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway is expected to strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic.
The council said the administration remained committed to completing ongoing infrastructure projects across all parts of the country within their scheduled timelines.
