By Fatima Saka
The Federal Government has secured full financing for the completion of the Aba–Maiduguri rail corridor, a critical segment of the 1,443-kilometre Port Harcourt Eastern Narrow Gauge Railway Project.
Minister of Transport, Senator Saidu Alkali, made the announcement on Wednesday during a government–citizen engagement forum at Arewa House, Kaduna. He said the project, which cuts across Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Benue States, will significantly boost regional trade, passenger mobility, and economic integration across Nigeria’s eastern corridor.
“The financing of this strategic route is now in place, and we are committed to delivering on the full stretch from Aba to Maiduguri,” the minister affirmed.
Alkali also highlighted ongoing rehabilitation of the old Lagos–Kano Narrow Gauge Railway, noting that freight services have resumed between Apapa Port and the Kano Inland Dry Port. This, he said, is part of the government’s efforts to decongest seaports, promote inland port operations, and support industrial logistics.
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The announcement underscores a broader push by the Tinubu administration to revamp Nigeria’s ageing rail infrastructure and strengthen inter-regional connectivity through modern transport systems.
Rabiu Ibrahim, Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, confirmed the minister’s remarks.
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