Kaduna–Kano rail project at 90% completion — FG

The Federal Government has disclosed that the Kaduna–Kano section of the railway project is 90 per cent complete.

Speaking in Zaria during an inspection, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, said the remaining works would soon be completed to enable seamless train services along the corridor.

Adebiyi expressed satisfaction with the quality of work, describing the rail alignment, embankment protection, drainage, stone pitching and soil stabilisation works as excellent.

“I want to confess that the quality of work is next to none. The rail alignment apparently is excellent. When you look through the window, you see a sharp change in elevation, some as high as six metres, which tells you the volume of earthwork that is done. The embankment protection work is also great.

“I am quite delighted. I feel excited. I don’t feel I should come out of this train, honestly,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, however, identified outstanding land acquisition and compensation claims within Kaduna metropolis as the major obstacles delaying completion of the remaining link between Jaji and the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor.

He assured affected stakeholders that the government was addressing the issue and that it would receive immediate attention upon the inspection team’s return to Abuja.

Adebiyi noted that the government was committed to completing the project as soon as possible, expressing optimism that passengers would soon be able to travel by train without interruption from Abuja through Kaduna and Zaria to Kano.

He further explained that the inspected section covered approximately 145 kilometres of the broader 200-kilometre Kaduna–Kano route, with only about 10 kilometres of work remaining on the stretch.

He also disclosed that the railway sections extending from Kano through Kazaure and Daura to Katsina were targeted for completion by December, with work continuing around the clock to meet the deadline.

Also speaking during the inspection, the Director of Rail Transport Services in the ministry, Engr. Habiba Buhari, said the inspection was intended to assess the technical quality of the infrastructure ahead of finalisation and test runs.

“We are here to check the geometry, the alignment, drainage facilities, quality of concrete works which we have been doing. We just want to finalise and test-run,” she said.

The Kaduna–Kano railway is a major component of the Federal Government’s efforts to expand Nigeria’s rail network, strengthen connectivity between major commercial centres, improve passenger movement between the North-West and other parts of the country, support economic activities along the corridor and provide an alternative to road travel.