FG Targets December Commissioning For Kano-Katsina Rail Project

The Federal Government has announced plans to commission the 284-kilometre Kano-Katsina railway project by December 2026, with the project currently 80 per cent complete.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Funsho Adebiyi, disclosed this during a joint inspection of the project involving officials of the Ministries of Transportation and Finance, representatives of lending institutions and the project contractor.

Adebiyi, who was represented by the Director of Rail Transport Services, Engr. Habibat Buhari, said the government remained committed to meeting the December commissioning deadline despite challenges affecting construction along the corridor.

He identified insecurity, land disputes and the seasonal slowdown in construction activities during the rainy season as some of the factors slowing work on the project.

According to him, construction activities have been temporarily affected by the rains, while security concerns have disrupted operations in some sections of the corridor.

He added that disputes involving land and canal areas had also prevented contractors from accessing some portions of the project, noting that some communities were yet to accept provisions relating to the Land Use Act.

Adebiyi, however, assured that the challenges would not prevent the project from being completed, as the government was engaging affected communities and other stakeholders to resolve the disputes.

“These will only cause delays, not stop the project. We have had similar cases in the past, and they have been attended to,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the December deadline would be achieved, noting that materials required for track laying had already been stockpiled at the project camp.

“Our target is to commission the project by December, and with the pace of work, there is no going back, by the grace of God. So, we are on course,” he stated.

Also speaking, the Director, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Muhammadu Kamal, disclosed that the Federal Government had released its 15 per cent counterpart funding for the project.
Kamal said the release demonstrated the government’s commitment to meeting its financial obligations under the project agreement.

He explained that the project was being financed through a combination of loan facilities and counterpart funding, with the Federal Government responsible for 15 per cent of the financing while the loan facility covered the remaining 85 per cent.

The Senior Country Officer and representative of the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Siya Biniza, disclosed that the bank had invested about $250 million in the project.

Biniza described the railway as a strategic infrastructure investment that would generate significant economic benefits for northern Nigeria and the country at large.

Meanwhile, the project contractor, Mota-Engil Nigeria, reaffirmed its commitment to completing the Kano-Katsina section by December 2026.

The company’s Chief Financial Officer, Vladislav Bystrenko, said the first phase covering the Kano-Katsina corridor was expected to be completed by the end of the year.

He, however, disclosed that the extension of the railway from Katsina to Maradi in the Republic of Niger was expected to be completed by the end of 2027.