The Federal Government is considering a high-speed rail corridor linking Lagos with Maiduguri, a proposal that could significantly alter long-distance passenger and freight movement across Nigeria.
Under the proposed arrangement, trains operating on the corridor could attain speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour, according to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi.
Adebiyi disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the 19th National Council on Transportation, where he said the planned high-speed connection formed part of efforts to build an integrated national transportation system.
He said an efficient transport network was essential to economic growth as it enables the seamless movement of people, goods and services across the country.
With Lagos and Maiduguri representing the western and northeastern ends of the proposed corridor, respectively, the high-speed service, if realised, could provide a faster alternative to road travel while strengthening connectivity between major urban centres.
The Permanent Secretary described the ongoing expansion of Nigeria’s railway network as a “rebirth of rail transportation”, noting that several corridors had already been completed.
According to him, the completed projects include the Port Harcourt-Aba, Warri-Itakpe, Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna rail corridors.
Adebiyi further disclosed that construction of the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano rail line was nearing completion and was expected to commence operations by December, while work was also progressing on the Kaduna-Daura-Katsina, Katsina-Jibia-Maradi and Kano-Dutse corridors.
The developments, he said, reflected the Federal Government’s broader effort to expand rail infrastructure and integrate the various modes of transportation into a more efficient national network.
Also speaking, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Abel Enitan, said physical infrastructure alone could not deliver an effective transportation system without the institutional framework to support it.
Enitan stressed the need for effective regulation, dependable data, innovation and a skilled workforce to complement investments in transport infrastructure.
He described transportation as the “lifeblood of the economy”, urging stronger collaboration between the Federal Government, states and relevant transport agencies to ensure that infrastructure investments translate into improved services for Nigerians.
The council meeting, which focused on “Developing an Effective Transport System for Nigeria: The Role of Integrated Transportation,” brought renewed attention to the need for coordinated planning across the country’s road, rail, maritime and other transport systems.
