The Federal Government has announced plans to construct 10 new rail lines to cover other parts of the country currently not linked by rail.

The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, said on Friday that already feasibility studies had commenced on seven of the proposed railway lines.

Umar, who spoke in Lagos at the inauguration of the Lagos-Kano train service and resumption of fuel haulage by train from Lagos to Offa, said that the feasibility studies on three other planned rail lines would be done in 2013.

The minister inaugurated the Lagos-Kano train, while the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, represented by the Managing Director, LAMATA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, unveiled the fuel train.

He gave the total distance of the areas to be covered by the seven rail lines as 3,421 kilometres.

The minister said that at the completion of the feasibility studies, the railway development project would be undertaken through public private partnership arrangement.

“Upon final construction of these lines, it will improve mass movement of Nigerians and open windows for rapid economic development and regional integration,” he said.

Umar stressed that all the new rail lines would be constructed as standard gauge track for the movement of fast trains.

According to him, the new lines will cover Lagos-Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Ore-Benin (300km); Benin-Agbor-Onitsha-Nnewi-Owerri-Aba, with additional line from Onitsha-Enugu-Abakaliki (500km).

It also included a 615km-high-speed rail track from Lagos to Abuja, passing through Lagos, Oshogbo and Baro.

The minister listed Ajaokuta (Eganyi) – Obajana – Jakura – Baro – Abuja, with additional line from Ajaokuta to Otukpo (533km); Zaria – Kaura Namoda – Sokoto –Illela- Birnin Koni (520km) as other areas to be covered.

Others are costal rail line linking Benin- Sapele-Warri-Yenogoa-Port Harcourt – Aba –Uyo-Akampa-Ikom-Obudu Cattle Ranch (673km); and Ajaokuta –Eganyi- Lokoja- Abaji –Abuja line (280km).

The other three lines, whose feasibility contracts would be awarded next year, are Port Harcourt-Umuahia-Enugu-Makurdi-Lafia-Kaduna-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri; Ikom-Ogoja-Katsina Ala-Wukari-Jalingo-Yola-Maiduguri and Kani-Nguru-Gashua-Damaturu-Maiduguri-Gamborun-Ngala.

The minister also commented on the inaugurated Lagos-Kano line, saying the segment, which he described as the key to the development of the nation’s economy, “is vital to the start-off of the transformation of the Nigerian economy.”

He said the rehabilitation of the rail line, stretching 1,126km, was executed by two contractors, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (km 0-km 488) and Costain West Africa Plc (km 488).

Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade, said the rehabilitation project of the track and signalling system was awarded in 2009.

He said, “The opening of Lagos-Kano rail route will no doubt bring a lot of socio-economic benefits to the development of our nation, such as providing employment, enhancing trade and commerce within and outside our communities, as well as taking pressure off our overstressed roads thus reducing frequency of road accidents; it will also strengthen social integration and inter-cultural relationships.”

The NRC chief executive officer said the fuel train from Lagos to Offa had lifted 450,000 litres of diesel.

He said, “The return of freight service on the Lagos-Kano route will give ample opportunities to our numerous clients, such as Flour Mills, Lafarge Wapco Cement, Dangote Cement, Oando, Total, Sahara Energy, A-Z Oil and Inland Container Limited.”


www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/fg-begins-work-on-10-new-rail-lines/

Alaigbo is benefiting immensely

Goes to show how wonderful administration is.kudos!

Is this another vision 20-20 or what?

Let the Government throw away this paper politics and list what is realizable.

These Rail Projects should be done in batches as to curtail too much abandon projects.

No need of trying to please every zone of the Country and thereby displeasing / disappointing everybody and the regime itself.

Another elephant project from which public funds are siphoned.

Only after completion of projects that I will listen to these people.

As much as the govt is trying but in all honestly, this is very unrealistic. Feasibility studies for approx 2,126 miles

To complete a 200 mile rail cost hundreds of million if not billions, YET, it's 2,000+, let them not waste monies doing feasibility that won't be executed for a VERY LONGGG TIME.

Chai! Dis government want fall for pple hand o.. Why cant they start d projects small small and then tell us after d complitn of each 1 instead running theire mouths b4 even startin d project?

Glad to see Alaigwe (igbo land) wasn't excluded this time around.

Benin is set to be a MAJOR regional hub in Nigeria. Rail does more for a country than people anticipate. Rail created Johanesburg and Nairobi out of nothing.

Walexz02: Chai! Dis government want fall for pple hand o.. Why cant they start d projects small small and then tell us after d complitn of each 1 instead running theire mouths b4 even startin d project?

My friend, only the feasibility studies will be done in full with govt money and it doesn't cost much. After the feasibility studies, all the projects will be advertised for construction under PPP. The private sector will select the routes they prefer and begin construction under the PPP arrangement. Therefore the real construction will not be done by govt alone, rather by the private sector in partnership with govt.
As far as I'm concerned, this is a FANTASTIC development. Even if it will take 20yrs to complete, like some mischief makers have said, the earlier we START, THE BETTER.

Is this right?

Is this right

Well,railway is very important but i dont want to believe govt until i see them begin the construction.

A government that cannot rehabilitate roads, is going to build railways? Believe that if you want to. The whole idea is to award feasibility study contract. In 2015 campaign, they will tell us of their plans. LOL.

If the president is so development oriented, let him start with the over inflated and abandoned East-West road.

Well, I pray it comes to fruition. Too early to start jubilating.

*going down on his kneelings in prayers*
God may project see the day lite and be fulfilled in my generation,in Jesus name,Amen!
We re watching and God is seeing u(FEC)

They better hasten up so dat i wil stop enterin private jet to avoid crash

Sealeddeal: Well,railway is very important but i dont want to believe govt until i see them begin the construction.

Me i will wait until they complete the project before I believe. Dem fit start am chop the money and abandone till eternity.

ypzilanti: A government that cannot rehabilitate roads, is going to build railways? Believe that if you want to. The whole idea is to award feasibility study contract. In 2015 campaign, they will tell us of their plans. LOL.

If the president is so development oriented, let him start with the over inflated and abandoned East-West road.

But they are already building railways now! What are you yapping about? The Lagos-Kano has been rehabilitated and is working and you are still yapping! The Abuja-Kaduna is 50% complete and the Abuja city is also about 50%. Other tracks are being rehabilitated all over the country already the Lagos-Ibadan track is being laid as we speak and you are still talking trash!

Maybe dem swear for you say you have to always be bitter and negative or maybe you are paid to do what you do. Either way, you are really messed up! LOL!

How much billions to looted this time

Ngwakwe: Is this another vision 20-20 or what?

Let the Government throw away this paper politics and list what is realizable.

These Rail Projects should be done in batches as to curtail too much abandon projects.

No need of trying to please every zone of the Country and thereby displeasing / disappointing everybody and the regime itself.

Who told u they don't have the money to work on all the region should transparency and productivity be the order of the day... Infact 10 is even small.

I found out yesterday that you can even make online ticket reservation on the NRC site.
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Wow! Nice one!
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http://www.nrc-ng.org/

nice 1....i sincerely hope they are for real

They could nt link warri to port harcourt by road for over 10yrs, is it rail lines across swamps that they can construct?

thelastPope:

But they are already building railways now! What are you yapping about? The Lagos-Kano has been rehabilitated and is working and you are still yapping! The Abuja-Kaduna is 50% complete and the Abuja city is also about 50%. Other tracks are being rehabilitated all over the country already the Lagos-Ibadan track is being laid as we speak and you are still talking trash!

Maybe dem swear for you say you have to always be bitter and negative or maybe you are paid to do what you do. Either way, you are really messed up! LOL!

Kudos for the rehabilitation of Lagos-Kano. You are fully aware that it was also a government that BUILT the tracks, right?

Every government that comes to power does 'some things'. Abi will you seat there for four years and not have a single achievement to your name?

Can you explain the abandonment of the east-west road? So it is railway that the government will now build?

Let us talk about sustainability here. The rehabilitated Kano-Lagos rail is going to fall apart in a couple of years. Why? because it is being run by corrupt civil servants. They should have rehabilitated and concessioned the thing.

Anyways, I have seen development with my two eyes on this planet. I will not count what should be routine rehabilitation of already constructed structures as anything to crow about.

With this plan now i know that gov is planning for peaple because i have a proposal that look exactly the same, especialy that high speed rail from Lag to Abj, Lag-PH( through benin, enugu, aba onisha, warri and extension to calabar), Abj-ph, Abj-kano and Abj-yola. I know gov can't do all at the same time but journey of a million miles start from first step. If oga jonathan can continue this way all he needs to do is eliminate those bad peaple in his cabinent that is giving him bad image and promoting coruption then i may reconsider my stance in 2015.

10 rail lines, OMG one must pass through my home town.









Ohhh no, it was even a plan.....fu.c..k ...up

ypzilanti:

Kudos for the rehabilitation of Lagos-Kano. You are fully aware that it was also a government that BUILT the tracks, right?

Every government that comes to power does 'some things'. Abi will you seat there for four years and not have a single achievement to your name?

Can you explain the abandonment of the east-west road? So it is railway that the government will now build?

Let us talk about sustainability here. The rehabilitated Kano-Lagos rail is going to fall apart in a couple of years. Why? because it is being run by corrupt civil servants. They should have rehabilitated and concessioned the thing.

Anyways, I have seen development with my two eyes on this planet. I will not count what should be routine rehabilitation of already constructed structures as anything to crow about.

Piece of Advice: learn hw to keep yr mouth SHUT at times........ East-West Road 'abandond', right?

Another kind of story.

thelastPope:

But they are already building railways now! What are you yapping about? The Lagos-Kano has been rehabilitated and is working and you are still yapping! The Abuja-Kaduna is 50% complete and the Abuja city is also about 50%. Other tracks are being rehabilitated all over the country already the Lagos-Ibadan track is being laid as we speak and you are still talking trash!

Maybe dem swear for you say you have to always be bitter and negative or maybe you are paid to do what you do. Either way, you are really messed up! LOL!

leav dm d amalgamatd criminals of nija acn hs blinded dm wit hate.dy wil all comit sucide soon

ypzilanti:

Kudos for the rehabilitation of Lagos-Kano. You are fully aware that it was also a government that BUILT the tracks, right?

Every government that comes to power does 'some things'. Abi will you seat there for four years and not have a single achievement to your name?

Can you explain the abandonment of the east-west road? So it is railway that the government will now build?

Let us talk about sustainability here. The rehabilitated Kano-Lagos rail is going to fall apart in a couple of years. Why? because it is being run by corrupt civil servants. They should have rehabilitated and concessioned the thing.

Anyways, I have seen development with my two eyes on this planet. I will not count what should be routine rehabilitation of already constructed structures as anything to crow about.

if dm lyk make dm lose d tracks go sel.gej dn construct rail dats una wahala he hs done hs job