The Federal Government has announced plans to develop a high-speed rail corridor linking Lagos with Maiduguri as part of efforts to build an integrated and efficient national transportation system.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi, disclosed this on Monday at the opening of the 19th National Council on Transportation in Abuja.

Adebiyi said the proposed Lagos-Maiduguri rail corridor would be designed to accommodate trains travelling at speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour.

According to him, the project could significantly reduce travel time between major cities and provide Nigerians with a faster alternative to road transportation.

Speaking on the theme, “Developing an Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation,” Adebiyi described transportation as a key driver of economic growth, particularly in facilitating the movement of people, goods and services.

He said the ongoing expansion and rehabilitation of the country’s railway network represented a rebirth of rail transportation in Nigeria.

Adebiyi listed the completed railway corridors as Port Harcourt-Aba, Warri-Itakpe, Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna.

He added that construction of the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano rail line was nearing completion and was expected to commence operations by December.

The permanent secretary also disclosed that work was ongoing on the Kaduna-Daura-Katsina, Katsina-Jibia-Maradi and Kano-Dutse rail corridors.

Also speaking at the event, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Enitan, said infrastructure development alone would not guarantee an effective transportation system.

Enitan stressed the importance of strong institutions, effective regulation, reliable data, innovation and a skilled workforce to complement investments in transport infrastructure.

He described transportation as the “lifeblood of the economy” and called for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments and relevant transport agencies to achieve an integrated national transport network.

FG Plans 360km/h High-Speed Rail Line Linking Lagos to Maiduguri

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