Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on July 15 presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kano–Kaduna rail project.
The rail project is the third segment of the Lagos–Kano standard gauge railway modernization project.
The first segment (Abuja–Kaduna) came into commercial service in July 2016 while the second segment (Lagos–Ibadan) was inaugurated for commercial operations in June 2021.
In his address, Buhari noted that “the Kano–Kaduna rail project is to link the Lagos–Ibadan railway project via Abuja, Minna, Ilorin, Oshogbo, Ibadan to Lagos on one end, and Maradi, Niger Republic on the other.”
Buhari also revealed that the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Finance are working to engage co-financiers to conclude financial agreements in partnership with the Federal Government for the development of the Ibadan – Kano line and to further increase the bankability of the project.
Speaking at the ceremony, Transportation Minister Rotichi Amaechi said that the project covers 203km of double-track standard gauge railway from Kano to Kaduna via Zaria. The line will have three railway stations for both passengers and freight services at Rigachukun, Zaria and Kano.
Amaechi also noted that the $1.2bn rail project, which was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), would be completed in 18 months.
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