The Federal Government has unveiled plans to develop a high-speed rail corridor connecting Lagos with Maiduguri as part of efforts to establish an integrated and efficient national transportation network.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi, disclosed this on Monday at the opening of the 19th National Council on Transportation in Abuja.
Adebiyi said the proposed Lagos-Maiduguri rail corridor could accommodate trains travelling at speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour, potentially cutting travel time between major cities and providing Nigerians with a faster alternative to road transportation.
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.
Nigerian govt plans 360km/h high-speed rail from Lagos to Maiduguri