By Dennis Okechukwu
President Bola Tinubu has intensified efforts to complete major railway projects in Northern Nigeria, with the Kaduna-Kano Standard Gauge Railway scheduled for inauguration on December 3, 2026.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, said the 203-kilometre Kaduna-Zaria-Kano railway project had reached approximately 90 per cent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway project had attained 70 per cent completion.
According to the statement, the projects have recorded significant progress since Tinubu assumed office in 2023, when the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway was barely five per cent completed and the Kaduna-Kano line was below 30 per cent.
The council said the projects underscored the Tinubu administration’s commitment to expanding railway infrastructure, improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods across the country and beyond.
It explained that the Kaduna-Kano railway, an extension of the existing Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway, would establish a continuous rail connection between Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, strengthening transportation links among major commercial centres in Northern Nigeria.
The statement disclosed that the two projects were recently inspected by a Federal Government delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, on the directive of President Tinubu.
Adebiyi reportedly expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction work, 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 to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The APC council further disclosed that Tinubu had directed the immediate resolution of outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis to ensure the completion of the railway corridor from Abuja to Kano.
It added that the completed 190-kilometre Jaji-Kano section of the Kaduna-Kano railway and the 250-kilometre Dawanu-Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Katsina section of the Kano-Maradi project were scheduled for inauguration on December 3.
When fully operational, the Kaduna-Kano railway is expected to improve passenger transportation, stimulate commercial activities and provide an alternative to road travel along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest commercial corridors.
Similarly, the Kano-Katsina-Maradi railway is expected to strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic.
The council maintained that the Tinubu administration remained committed to delivering ongoing infrastructure projects across all parts of the country within their scheduled timelines.