The Federal Government has reaffirmed that the $1.9 billion Abuja‑Kano‑Maradi rail project will be delivered by December 2026, with the line now at about 70 per cent completion. Finbarr Zirra, Director of Rail Transport Services at the Federal Ministry of Transportation, said the project would revolutionise economic activity across the country, especially in the northern region, while reducing pressure on roads that currently carry about 90 per cent of goods by trailers.
The standard gauge line covers approximately 400 kilometres, connecting Kano in Nigeria to Maradi in the Niger Republic, with 15 stations passing through cities including Dambatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina and Jibiya. Kano will serve as the major hub. Zirra explained that the railway is designed to last at least 100 years and will help salvage roads that are being destroyed by heavy truck traffic. A single train, he noted, can take about 30 trucks off the road.
The project, initiated under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is being executed by different contractors: the Chinese handling the Abuja‑Kaduna section and the Portuguese handling the Kano‑Katsina‑Jibia‑Maradi segment. Zirra disclosed that the Kaduna‑Kano line is at substantial stages of completion, with the Makarfi‑Kano section already finished. By the end of the year, he expects the Kano‑Katsina link to be completed and put into use.
From an economic standpoint, the rail line is a transformative infrastructure asset. It will reduce logistics costs for businesses moving goods between the north and the coast, lower truck‑induced road damage, and cut transport‑related carbon emissions. The connection to Maradi, just 40 kilometres from Niamey, also positions Nigeria to capture a larger share of transit trade to landlocked Niger, strengthening intra‑African commerce. However, the government has a history of missing infrastructure deadlines or delivering projects with incomplete components. Investors and businesses will watch closely to see whether the December target, and the accompanying rolling stock, are actually delivered.
