President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that the Kano-Maradi rail project when completed, would serve import and export of goods for the Niger Republic and other countries in the sub-region through Nigerian ports.
Buhari disclosed this at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kano-Katsina-Jibiya-Maradi rail line with a branch line from Kano to Dutse on Tuesday.
Buhari said the rail line traverses the major commercial and administrative center of Kano and will pass through other economic hubs of the country including Kazaure, Daura, Katsina, and up to the border town of Jibiya and the Niger Republic city of Maradi.
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“This vital infrastructure line will establish an end-to-end logistic supply chain in railway transport services between Northern and Southern regions of the country, reaching Nigerian southern ports of Lagos and Warri,” he stated.
He added that the FG identified rail lines as an important route that would boost the movement of passengers and freight to the hinterland, especially raw materials from both agricultural and mineral resources for industries.
” The project, when completed, would serve import and export of goods for the Niger Republic and other countries in the sub-region through Nigerian ports.
“The country would earn revenue through expansion of trade and commerce, while the people of Niger Republic will benefit from the ease of transportation logistics at an affordable cost in their import and export business,” he said.
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Buhari said the FG has also embarked on the completion of the 1,424 Kilometer Lagos–Kano rail line to join the Kano-Maradi rail for the country’s Western axis.
“On the Eastern corridor of the country, the Port Harcourt – Enugu – Makurdi – Maiduguri rail line with branches to Owerri, Imo state and Damaturu, Yobe state have been awarded for reconstruction to include a deep seaport in Bonny Island and a Railway Industrial Park in Port Harcourt,” he added.
Buhari revealed that the FG is concluding financial arrangements for the development of the West-East Coastal rail line from Lagos to Calabar and linking Onitsha, Benin, Warri, Yenegao, Port Harcourt, Aba, and Uyo.
What you should know
- Recall Nairametrics reported on September 2020 that the Federal Executive Council approved the disbursement of $1.96 billion, for the railway line from Kano in Nigeria to Maradi in the Niger Republic.
- Nairametrics also reported that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi said that the Kano-Maradi (Niger Republic) railway project will cost the Federal Government the sum of $1.9 billion, with the funds expected to be mostly sourced from Europe