The Federal Government says that the Kano-Daura rail project will be completed by 2025.
The Minister of Transportation, Said Alkali, gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja during an interview with NAN.
According to the Minister, the project is one of the priority projects of the ministry to be actualised at the stipulated time.
He said the project, when completed, would enable the transportation of raw materials over long distances and moving passengers and freight.
The minister said the project would also add value in terms of development to the area.
“I have just discussed with the contractor that we are going to segment the project by God’s grace.
We are going to complete Kano-Daura next year (2025).
“Daura to Maradi will be ready in 2026, so also Dutse to Kano in 2026,” he said.
In a related development, Alkali had also assured Nigerians that freight services on the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge project would commence in June.
Alkali gave the assurance in Kano on Thursday when he led a team on an inspection tour of the Kano-Maradi rail corridor project.
According to him, the freight services that would commence in June along the corridor would boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said that the commencement of the freight operations would preserve the lifespan of the nation’s highways and also save more people from auto crashes on the road.
“At the Zawaciki axis of the project, rail tracks have linked the narrow gauge which is connected to the Dala dry inland port in Kano, to bring freight and passengers from Lagos.
“This will reduce the cost of businesses and the menace of road traffic accidents. We will save our highways and the multiplier effect is on the GDP growth of the country,” the minister said.
Alkali commended the contractor’s efforts – China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) -, handling the project for the level of work done so far.
The minister said there was great improvement from what he saw the last time he visited the place.
NAN reports the immediate past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Kano-Maradi standard gauge railway line.
The project spans about 387 km from Kano to Daura to Maradi and a branch line from Kano to Dutse.
Breakdown shows first, a 287km stretch of track will connect three federal states in Northern Nigeria; namely Kano, Jigawa and Katsina- significant trade hubs- and the Republic of Niger (Maradi).
Another 93 km branch line will connect the capital of Jigawa’s State (Dutse) to Kano.
The rail line will cover 12 stations: Dutse, Gaya, Wudil Kano, Dambatta, Kazaure, Daura, Shargale, Marshi, Katsina, Jibia, and Maradi in the Southern Niger Republic.
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