The federal government has announced that freight services on the Lagos-Kano rail line will commence in June, a move expected to boost the country’s economic growth.
Transportation Minister Sa’id Alkali made this announcement during an inspection tour of the Kano-Maradi rail corridor.
The minister also expressed satisfaction with the progress made on the project, in particular, the linking of rail tracks to the Dala Dry Inland Port. This connection will enable the transportation of freight and passengers from Lagos, reducing the cost of business and minimizing road traffic accidents.
“We are going to put the freight hopefully in the next one month from Lagos to Kano on the narrow gauge,” Alkali said, adding that “This will bring the cost of business down. We will reduce the menace of road traffic accidents. We will save our highways, and the multiplier effect is on the GDP growth of the country.”
The minister also commended the contractor for their work on the narrow gauge and dry port, emphasizing the importance of timely completion to boost the country’s GDP.
During the inspection tour, Alkali also visited the Nigerian University of Transportation in Daura, where he interacted with pioneer students and pledged to address infrastructural deficiencies in the institution. The university has admitted over 500 students in 14 disciplines, a significant milestone in the country’s transportation sector.