Mark Aba
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is accelerating the completion of major railway projects in Northern Nigeria, with sections of the Kaduna–Kano and Kano–Katsina–Maradi rail lines scheduled for inauguration on December 3, 2026.
The council said the Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Railway project has reached approximately 90 per cent completion, while the Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project has attained 70 per cent completion.
Spokesman of the APC-PCC, Dele Alake, disclosed this in Abuja on Sunday, describing the projects as major infrastructure investments that demonstrate the Tinubu administration’s commitment to expanding railway transportation and improving connectivity across the country.
Alake, who is also the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, said the 203-kilometre Kaduna–Zaria–Kano railway and the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway had recorded significant progress since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
He said the Kano–Katsina–Maradi project was barely five per cent completed when the administration took over, while the Kaduna–Kano railway had recorded less than 30 per cent completion.
According to him, the Kaduna–Kano railway, which extends the existing Abuja–Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway, will provide a continuous rail connection linking Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, thereby strengthening transportation links among major commercial centres in Northern Nigeria.
Alake disclosed that the two projects were recently inspected on the directive of President Tinubu by a Federal Government delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi.
He said the delegation expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction, particularly the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.
The inspection also featured a train test run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano, which enabled officials to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The APC-PCC spokesman further disclosed that Tinubu had directed the immediate resolution of outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis to facilitate the completion of the entire railway corridor linking Abuja to Kano.
He said the 190-kilometre Jaji–Kano section of the Kaduna–Kano railway, out of the project’s approximately 205-kilometre stretch, and the 250-kilometre Dawanu–Kano–Kazaure–Daura–Katsina section of the Kano–Maradi railway would be inaugurated on December 3, 2026.
Alake said the operationalisation of the Kaduna–Kano railway would enhance passenger transportation, stimulate commercial activities and provide an alternative to road travel along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors.
Similarly, he said the Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway would strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic.
He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to completing ongoing infrastructure projects across the country in line with President Tinubu’s development agenda.
“In line with President Tinubu’s agenda, all ongoing infrastructure projects will be delivered in every part of the country as scheduled,” he added.
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