The federal government has flagged off freight train service from Dala Inland Dryport in Kano to Apapa Port in Lagos state.
The freight service will run on the narrow gauge.
The minister of transportation, Said Alkali, said the development of a modern, safe, secure, and sustainable transportation network was a priority of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He also said the restoration of freight services will bring down the cost of transportation, reduce the cost of doing business, save the roads by reducing the menace of road traffic accidents, and boost the country’s GDP.
The Minister said: “The fixing of the narrow gauge for freight from Lagos to Kano was carried out as a quick win to ensure the restoration of freight operation to the famous city of Kano as the commercial nerve of northern Nigeria without interrupting the ongoing construction of the standard gauge.
“Notwithstanding this laudable initiative, I am pleased to inform you that the construction of standard gauge from Lagos to Kano and Kano-Maradi is progressively ongoing at appreciable speed.
“As a testimony to this reality, the federal government recently secured financing for the completion of the Kaduna-Kano Standard Gauge ongoing rail project.”
Alkali also said the federal government has initiated the construction of another rail project that links Badagry to TinCan and TinCan to Apapa.
He said it will also link Lekki to Ijebu Ode, and Ijebu Ode to Kajola which will connect the route from Lagos to Kano and Kano to Maradi.
The Minister said the newly commissioned project and several others undertaken under the rail modernization project are targeted at accelerating the realization of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.
The Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation NRC, Engr. Fidet Okhria said the commencement of the service will reduce the pressure on roads.
He said: “This makes NRC functional because people will appreciate NRC. We are moving 18 wagons and in the next 72 hours, it will be in Lagos. This is important because the tracks will be occupied instead of leaving it empty for vandals to destroy.
“This will affect the roads too because the lives of those plying the roads will be safer and the roads will last longer.”
Okhiria also said due to security challenges, freight will be moved between 7 am and 6 pm daily.
