FG to inaugurate finished section of two Northern rail projects in December

Log in or create a free account to get started.

Read History Go to My Account Log Out Enhanced by Google Transportation FG to inaugurate finished section of two Northern rail projects in December The federal government is set to inaugurate the finished sections of two major railway projects in Northern Nigeria, the Kaduna–Kano Standard.

Listen to this article Share The federal government is set to inaugurate the finished sections of two major railway projects in Northern Nigeria, the Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Railway and the Kano–Katsina–Maradi Railway, by December 3, 2026.

The Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Railway is a 205-kilometre rail line, while the Kano–Katsina–Maradi Railway is a 400-kilometre line expected to improve transportation, boost commercial activities, and strengthen regional connectivity.

In a statement issued by Dele Alake, spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, the Kaduna–Kano railway project has reached 90 percent completion, with 190 kilometres of the Jaji–Kano section completed. The Kano–Katsina–Maradi project is 70 percent complete, with 250 kilometres of the Dawanu–Kano–Kazaure–Daura–Katsina section completed.

Alake said the Kaduna–Kano project, which connects Kaduna, Zaria, and Kano, is an extension of the existing Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge railway line.

He added that the administration inherited the Kano–Katsina–Maradi project at barely five per cent completion in 2023, while the Kaduna–Kano railway was less than 30 per cent completed.

“The Kaduna–Kano railway would establish a continuous rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, and Kano, providing an alternative means of transportation along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors.

“The projects demonstrate the administration’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s railway infrastructure, improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods across the country and beyond,” the statement read.

A federal government inspection team led by Funso Adebiyi, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, assessed the progress of work on both projects and expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction work, particularly the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.

The inspection also featured a train test run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.

On outstanding issues affecting the project, Alake said the President had directed that all land acquisition and compensation matters within Kaduna metropolis be resolved immediately to facilitate the completion of the railway corridor from Abuja to Kano.

“The Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway, upon completion, would strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic.

“When operational, the Kaduna–Kano railway will improve passenger transportation, facilitate commercial activities, and provide an alternative to road travel along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors,” the statement said.

Juliet Onyema is a transport journalist who reports on Nigeria’s transport and automobile industry. She covers emerging Electric Vehicles (EVs), ranging from adoption to usage, automobile firms and transport policies which affect them, and also recurring trends affecting commuters’ mobility interstate and intrastate.