President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has fixed December 3, 2026, for the inauguration of key sections of the Kaduna-Kano and Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway projects, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to expand rail transportation and connectivity across Northern Nigeria.
In a statement on Sunday, The All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesperson and Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, disclosed that the 203-kilometre Kaduna-Zaria-Kano railway project had reached 90 per cent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail project had attained 70 per cent completion.
According to the statement, the 190-kilometre Jaji-Kano section of the Kaduna-Kano railway, alongside the 250-kilometre Dawanu-Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Katsina section of the Kano-Maradi railway, will be inaugurated on December 3.
The council noted that the progress recorded on both projects represents an improvement from their respective completion levels when Tinubu assumed office in 2023, with the Kano-Katsina-Maradi project standing at barely five per cent and the Kaduna-Kano line at less than 30 per cent.
The Kaduna-Kano railway, an extension of the existing Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge line, is designed to establish a continuous rail connection linking Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, thereby improving transportation across some of Northern Nigeria’s major commercial centres.
Similarly, the 400-kilometre Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway is expected to strengthen regional connectivity and facilitate cross-border trade and transportation between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic when fully operational.
As part of efforts to ensure the timely delivery of the projects, a Federal Government inspection team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, recently assessed the construction works on the directive of President Tinubu.
The inspection team reportedly expressed satisfaction with the quality of work, particularly the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.
The exercise also featured a train test-run journey from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano, providing officials with an opportunity to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has directed the immediate resolution of outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis to facilitate the completion of the remaining railway corridor connecting Abuja to Kano.
When fully operational, the Kaduna-Kano railway is expected to provide an alternative to road transportation along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial routes, while improving passenger movement and facilitating the transportation of goods.
It added that the Tinubu administration remained committed to completing ongoing infrastructure projects across the country as scheduled.
