The Federal Government has announced plans to establish a high-speed rail line linking Lagos to Maiduguri as part of its efforts to build a more integrated and efficient transportation system across the country.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi, disclosed this on Monday while speaking at the opening of the 19th National Council on Transportation in Abuja.
According to Adebiyi, the proposed Lagos-Maiduguri rail corridor is expected to support trains travelling at speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour. He said the project could significantly reduce travel time between major cities and offer Nigerians a faster alternative to road travel.
Speaking on the theme, “Developing an Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation,” the permanent secretary described transportation as a major driver of economic development, noting its importance in facilitating the movement of people, goods and services.
He described the ongoing expansion and rehabilitation of the country’s railway network as a rebirth of rail transportation in Nigeria.
According to him, completed railway corridors include Port Harcourt-Aba, Warri-Itakpe, Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna.
Adebiyi added that construction of the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano rail line was approaching completion and was expected to commence operations by December.
He further disclosed that work was ongoing on the Kaduna-Daura-Katsina, Katsina-Jibia-Maradi and Kano-Dutse corridors.
Also speaking, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Enitan, said infrastructure development alone would not be sufficient to build an effective transportation system.
He stressed the need for strong institutions, effective regulation, reliable data, innovation and a skilled workforce to complement infrastructure investments.
Enitan described transportation as the lifeblood of the economy and urged stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments and relevant transport agencies to achieve an integrated national transport system.
