President Bola Tinubu has set December 3, 2026, for the inauguration of completed sections of the Kaduna–Kano and Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway projects.
Spokesperson, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake said this in a statement on Sunday.
The council said the 203-kilometre Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Standard Gauge Railway had reached approximately 90 per cent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi project had attained 70 per cent.
It said the Kaduna–Kano project was less than 49 percent complete when Tinubu assumed office in 2023, while the Kano–Katsina–Maradi line was barely five per cent complete.
According to the statement, the 190-kilometre Jaji–Kano section of the Kaduna–Kano railway will be inaugurated alongside the 250-kilometre Dawanu–Kano–Kazaure–Daura–Katsina section of the Kano–Maradi project.
Connect Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano
The Kaduna–Kano railway is an extension of the existing Abuja–Kaduna standard gauge line. When fully operational, it is expected to connect Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, providing an alternative to road transportation and improving the movement of passengers and goods across the corridor.
The council said Federal Government inspection team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, recently assessed both projects on the President’s directive.
The inspection included a train test run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano. The team also examined the railway alignment, drainage infrastructure, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.
The statement said Adebiyi expressed satisfaction with the quality of the construction work and the progress recorded.
It added that Tinubu had directed the immediate resolution of outstanding land acquisition and compensation issues within Kaduna metropolis to facilitate the completion of the railway corridor linking Abuja and Kano.
The Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway is expected to strengthen transportation links and cross-border trade between Nigeria and the neighbouring Niger Republic when operational.
RN
