FG approves $1.2bn for Kano-Kaduna rail project •Seeks fresh loan from China

The Federal Government has approved US$1.2 billion for the construction of the Kano-Kaduna standard gauge railway project.

Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed this in Kano, on Saturday, when he visited Governor Abdullahi Ganduje at the Government House, Kano.

According the the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Amaechi said the Federal Government was negotiating with China EXIM bank to finance the project.

“We are negotiating with China EXIM bank and we are convinced that this negotiation will end by June,” he said.

The minister said the government would provide about 100 locomotives for narrow gauge rail that would run through Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Funtua and Gombe to improve the economy.

“Before the end of June, Lagos-Kano narrow gauge rail would have more locomotives that would run through Lagos, Port Harcourt, Funtua, Kano and Gombe states in order to boost the economy,” he said.

Amaechi, however, thanked the governor for his efforts and the role he played during the last National Assembly election in Rivers State where the party won one senatorial seat and four House of Representatives seats.

Responding, Governor Ganduje expressed his happiness and commended the president for fulfilling his campaign promise, stating that the rail project would save the road from total collapse.

He said the state government recently signed a $1.8 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm to construct light rail in the state capital, noting that the light rail project would give the state a mega city, similar to other cities across the world.