FG Sets December 2026 Target for Kaduna–Kano Rail Completion

The Federal Government has announced that the Kaduna–Zaria–Kano railway line is expected to be completed and ready for operation by December 2026.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Funsho Adebiyi, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the 19th National Council on Transportation.

Adebiyi said the Federal Government was expanding Nigeria’s railway network to reduce the heavy pressure on the country’s roads. He noted that about 98 per cent of Nigerians depend on road transportation.

According to him, the country’s heavy reliance on roads has resulted in congestion, overloading and increased pressure on road infrastructure.

He explained that developing rail transportation, particularly for freight, would help move heavy loads away from the roads and reduce damage to road networks.

Adebiyi said several railway routes were already operational, including Port Harcourt–Aba, Lagos–Ibadan, Abuja–Kaduna and Warri–Itakpe.

He added that the Kaduna–Zaria–Kano railway was nearing completion and would be available for operation by December.

The Permanent Secretary also disclosed that work on the Kano–Daura–Katsina railway was at an advanced stage and was expected to be completed by December. The Katsina–Jibia–Maradi route is expected to be completed by December 2027, while the Kano–Dutse railway project is also expected to be completed around the same period.

Adebiyi said the development of rail freight services was already reducing the number of heavy-duty trucks on major highways. He cited the movement of containers from Apapa Port to the Ibadan Dry Port by rail as an example, saying one train carrying containers could remove dozens of trailers from the Lagos–Ibadan highway.

He said extending rail services from Ibadan to Minna would further reduce pressure on the roads by allowing containers to be transported closer to their final destinations by rail.

According to him, improved railway services would help extend the lifespan of roads, reduce accidents and improve road safety.

Adebiyi also highlighted the employment opportunities created by the railway projects. He said about 4,000 young Nigerians had been employed on the Kano–Maradi project, while more than 5,000 workers were engaged on the Kaduna–Kano railway project.

Also speaking at the event, Ibrahim Ishaku, representing the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, stressed the importance of an integrated transportation system to Nigeria’s economic development.

He said an efficient multimodal transportation network would be essential for achieving the Federal Government’s target of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

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