Senator Adamu Aliero, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, has revealed that the African Development Bank (AfDB) has released $350 million to the federal government for the Kano-Maradi rail line project.
During a recent oversight visit to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) in Lagos, Aliero shared this development, highlighting it as a key step in the ongoing rail infrastructure upgrade. He further explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent trip to China aimed to finalize discussions to secure 85% of the funding required for the country’s railway modernization and rehabilitation efforts.
“Not long ago, a Supplementary Appropriation Bill was submitted to the National Assembly and has since been enacted into law,” the senator explained. “This bill allocated over N530 billion as counterpart funding for the railway projects across Nigeria. The remaining 85% of the required financing will come from external sources, such as the China Exim Bank, the International Finance Corporation, or the AfDB.”
Aliero also expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the ongoing rail construction from Lagos to Abeokuta, and noted that the acting managing director of the NRC had informed them that the Lagos-Ibadan rail line is now fully operational. He commended the connection of the Ebute Meta Station to the Apapa seaport, describing it as a crucial milestone.
In addition to the progress on infrastructure, Aliero lauded the NRC for its broad range of services, including freight operations between Ibadan and Lagos, Kano and Lagos, and Funtua and Apapa. He also highlighted the passenger services running from Port Harcourt to Aba and Warri to Itakpe.
The senator further praised the NRC for successfully restoring operations after a recent bandit attack on one of its trains, underscoring the corporation’s resilience in ensuring the continuity of critical transport services.
