by Nigerian News24 Correspondents
Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, has announced that the Kaduna–Kano standard gauge railway project has reached 53 per cent completion.
Speaking at the 2nd International Railway Conference in Abuja on Monday, Alkali said the project has made significant progress since President Bola Tinubu took office. According to him, the rail line was only 15 per cent complete when Tinubu assumed office, but work has since advanced and is scheduled for completion and commissioning by December 2026.
The Minister also provided updates on the Kano–Maradi railway line, a 387-kilometre corridor with an extension to Dutse. He revealed that construction on the project has accelerated from five per cent to 60 per cent.
Alkali disclosed that the line will reach Katsina by December 2025, while the entire project is expected to be inaugurated by March 2027.
“The Kano–Maradi corridor is not just a railway project but a strategic gateway to West Africa’s markets, creating new access routes for Nigerian goods into Niger Republic and beyond,” the Minister said.