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The multi-million Naira Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line is to be delivered by the end of 2018. Nigeria’s acting president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, disclosed this Tuesday while inaugurating the 156.65-kilometre project in Lagos, south west Nigeria, charging the contractors, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), to deliver as expected.
Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, had signed the contract for the construction with the Chinese contractors last year along with that of the Calabar-Port Harcourt rail project.
The new rail line will run side by side with the existing old rail line.
While inaugurating the project at the headquarters of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in Lagos, Osinbajo explained that the project was at the heart of President Muhammadu Buhari, who personally renegotiated the agreement for the project.
“The president, in his January 2016 visit to China, re-opened negotiations on the Chinese support for this project. This ceremony also mark the commencement of our plan to move speedily to improve link with Lagos which is the national economic nerve centre and major port to other state capital across the country.
“Our ground-breaking today reflects plans of the Federal Government to build a globally competitive economy, the critical roles of infrastructure and for this purpose, railway, in this strategy, underscores our economic recovery and growth plan as well as 2016 and 2017 budget.
“We made provision for matching funds in the 2016 budget, to complement concession loans obtained from the Peoples Republic of China.
“Our appreciation goes to the Chinese government and the Chinese Exchange Bank which have always proved to be a reliable partner to the Nigeria government. We have the entire Lagos-Kano rail track as well as the Lagos-Calabar railway track in the 2017 budget,” Osinbajo said.
The acting president further stated: “We have already provided our counterpart funding for the Lagos-Calabar route as well and we expect that negotiations with the foreign component of the funding will be finalised within the next three months.
“An active and vibrant railway system will benefit the society. Our ultimate goal is to ensure railway is used for both commercial and personal transportation.
“We are confident that the national rail project will create about half a million jobs and facilitate the movement of up to 3.2 tonnes of cargo per annum.
“It will also reduce the burden on national highways thus reducing deterioration of the road networks and increasing the life span of our roads. Railway network will support efforts to diversify the economy and enhance our export potential. Just as several of our cities became known as railway towns in the past, we expect to boost economic activities within the railway lines that will eventually cut across the entire country.
“It is important, however, to have a viable self-sustaining and vibrant rail system. This is why the federal government supports the replacement of the 1964 railway acts with a legal frame work that will open railway projects in the country to greater private sector participation.
“In this way, we expect to ensure that the resources to manage efficient modern and reliable train services. I am confident that we will see the same zeal in project construction so that the railway lines will be completed on schedule. We are looking forward to a fast and efficient service between Lagos and Ibadan within the projected time frame which is on or before December 2018.”
