Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Railway Set For Inauguration December 3
The Federal Government has scheduled the inauguration of the Kaduna–Kano Standard Gauge Railway for December 3, 2026, as construction work on major railway projects in Northern Nigeria advances towards completion.
The 203-kilometre Kaduna–Zaria–Kano railway project has attained approximately 90 per cent completion, while the 400-kilometre Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project is about 70 per cent complete.
Dele Alake, spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.
According to the statement, the projects reflect the administration’s commitment to expanding the country’s railway network, improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods across Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
The APC-PCC recalled that before President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023, the Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway project was barely five per cent completed, while the Kaduna–Kano rail project had recorded less than 30 per cent progress.
It added that the projects were designed to strengthen transportation links between major commercial centres in Northern Nigeria and support economic activities across the region.
The statement further disclosed that both projects were recently inspected by a Federal Government delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funso Adebiyi, following a directive from President Tinubu.
The delegation reportedly expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction work, particularly the railway alignment, drainage systems, embankment protection, stone pitching and soil stabilisation.
As part of the inspection exercise, officials undertook a train test run from Jaji in Kaduna State to Kano to assess the completed track infrastructure and passenger comfort.
The statement also revealed that President 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 to Kano.
It stated that the completed 190-kilometre Jaji–Kano section of the Kaduna–Kano railway, alongside the 250-kilometre Dawanu–Kano–Kazaure–Daura–Katsina section of the Kano–Maradi project, would be inaugurated on December 3, 2026.
When fully operational, the Kaduna–Kano railway is expected to improve passenger transportation, boost commercial activities and provide an alternative to road travel along one of Northern Nigeria’s busiest economic corridors.
Similarly, the Kano–Katsina–Maradi railway is expected to strengthen cross-border transportation and trade between Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic.
The APC-PCC maintained that the Federal Government remained committed to delivering ongoing infrastructure projects across the country in line with the administration’s development agenda.
