Freight services resume on Lagos-Kano narrow gauge railway
By Opeyemi Abdulsalam
Following the completion of its repair, freight services have been restored on the old Lagos-Kano narrow gauge railroad.
The Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, via a statement on his official X (formerly Twitter) account said Freight services on the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge railway line were relaunched on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
The Minister disclosed that before the relaunch of freight services on the 1,132-kilometer corridor, a trial run was conducted, moving import containers from Apapa Port in Lagos State to Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano State, successfully transporting numerous 40ft containers from Lagos to Kano in just a few days.
“I am delighted to announce to Nigerians that today 6th June 2024, the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT GCFR will be officially launching the reopening of this corridor for freight,” Alkali’s statement read in part.
Furthermore, the statement highlighted that this significant railway route will create numerous opportunities for businesses and facilitate the movement of import and export goods between these crucial regions in the country.
The Transportation Minister emphasised the federal government’s intention for the newly resumed railway service to significantly enhance the transportation of import and export containers.
He noted that the resumption of freight services on the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge railway is expected to yield several positive outcomes.
These include improving overall transportation services to ensure a more efficient and reliable movement of goods across the country.
By diverting a substantial amount of freight traffic from roads to railways, the initiative will also help reduce road traffic accidents, contributing to safer travel conditions for commuters.
Additionally, the Minister highlighted that the shift to rail transport is anticipated to lower the costs of goods, benefiting consumers and businesses alike by making products more affordable.
Ultimately, this initiative aims to boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reflecting broader economic growth and development.
The Minister’s statement also provided additional information about the rehabilitated Lagos-Kano narrow gauge railway line, which has now been relaunched for freight services.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has implemented a regular inspection mechanism to prevent potential vandalism of rail tracks, including the removal of clips and fish plates, issues that have plagued NRC-controlled rail lines.
Furthermore, the statement noted that there are five locomotive driver stations along the 1,132-kilometer rail corridor, specifically located at Ibadan, Offa, Mokwa, Minna, and Kaduna Junction.
The old Lagos-Kano narrow gauge railway has been inoperative for a while due to damage to the tracks on some portions of the 1,132-kilometer rail corridor.
In December 2023, the Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, disclosed during an end-of-year interactive session that the Corporation was laying tracks on damaged portions of the Kano-Lagos narrow gauge corridor.
A post on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the NRC in January 2024 announced that express services would soon commence on the Kano-Lagos narrow gauge as the rehabilitation on the corridor had advanced.
The Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, also conducted numerous inspections on the Lagos-Kano narrow gauge railway and announced in a recent interview that freight services would commence on the corridor in June 2024.
