Minister of Transportation, Sa?idu Ahmed Alkali, has announced that the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail project will reach Katsina by December 2025 and is scheduled for full completion by March 2027.

Alkali made this known on Tuesday at the second Transport Summit of the Transportation Correspondents Association of Nigeria (TCAN) in Lagos.

Represented by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, the minister revealed that construction progress on the Kaduna?Kano and Kano?Maradi rail lines has advanced significantly from 5 and 15 percent completion at the start of the current administration to over 50 and 60 percent, respectively.

He also disclosed that the Federal Executive Council recently approved the construction of modern bus terminals in Abeokuta, Onitsha, Warri, Kano, Lokoja, and Gombe.

According to him, the initiative will address operational inefficiencies, reduce intra-city traffic congestion, eliminate unregulated motor parks, and enhance passenger safety nationwide.

Highlighting other projects, Alkali noted that the Lagos?Kano rail modernization, the rehabilitated narrow-gauge line from Lagos to Kano, and the ongoing rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt?Maiduguri narrow-gauge corridor are key indicators of the government?s commitment to developing Nigeria?s transport sector.

He confirmed that the Port Harcourt?Aba segment of the Port Harcourt?Maiduguri line has been completed and is operational.

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, represented by Director of Maritime Services, Dr. Mercy Iloro, emphasized that the National Marine and Blue Economy Policy seeks to lower logistics costs, improve trade competitiveness, and unlock private sector investment.

?Our goal is to lower the cost of doing business, improve cargo turnaround times, and create a more attractive environment for private capital. This positions Nigeria as a logistics hub for West and Central Africa,? Iloro stated.

She highlighted ongoing initiatives including the operationalisation of the Lagos?Ibadan standard gauge for cargo evacuation, expansion of barge services in Lagos and Onne ports, completion of the Apapa?Oshodi Expressway, and commissioning of the 27km Lekki Port Access Road.

She also mentioned the development of inland dry ports in Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano, and Funtua to decongest seaports and improve regional trade flows.

Oyetola called for closer collaboration among stakeholders, including shipping lines, terminal operators, freight forwarders, and regulators, and advocated the adoption of digital, green, and climate-resilient logistics solutions to boost Nigeria?s competitiveness.

Earlier, TCAN Chairman, Tola Adenubi, lamented the absence of a comprehensive national transport policy to guide the country?s multimodal transport system.

He warned that overreliance on road transport, especially by petroleum tankers and container trucks, has left many roads in deplorable condition, making the case for urgent diversification of freight movement to rail, inland waterways, and pipelines. (THE GUARDIAN)

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